The Quiet Revolutionaries: Indian Modern Artists Born in 1926
In 1926, as European masters like Salvador Dali and Rene Magritte were establishing surrealism and cubism as dominant art movements, a parallel artistic revolution was quietly brewing in India. A generation of artists was born that year who would fundamentally reshape Indian modernism through distinctive approaches, deep intellectual foundations, and innovative techniques, all while largely avoiding the sensationalism that often accompanies artistic fame.
Beyond the Progressive Artists' Group
None of these artists formally joined the celebrated Progressive Artists' Group in Bombay (now Mumbai), which remains the most visible and venerated collective in Indian art history. Yet, their contributions to modern Indian art were no less significant. These less-remembered figures developed unique artistic languages that expanded the boundaries of what Indian modernism could encompass.
Last year marked artist Satish Gujral's centenary, celebrating his mastery across diverse media. This year brings attention to several other artists born in 1926 who deserve equal recognition for their groundbreaking work.
Artists Who Lived Unconventionally
Most of these artists led introverted, reclusive lives, prioritizing artistic creation over commercial success. They defied patriarchal norms and societal expectations, yet never allowed their unconventional lifestyles to define their artistic identities. Their focus remained steadfastly on their creative practice.
Six Remarkable Artists Born in 1926
Reba Hore (1926-2006)
Born to a family from Jessore (in modern-day Bangladesh), Reba Hore experienced some of pre-independence India's most defining moments, including the devastating Bengal famine and communal riots. These experiences connected her with her future husband, artist Somnath Hore, whose depictions of social movements brought him renown.
While domestic responsibilities and her husband's fame partially obscured Reba's career, she compulsively created art throughout her life. After exposure to toxic pigments made her ill, she turned to terracotta sculptures in her later years. Her Bhanga Payer Diary (The Diary of the Broken Foot), published in the early 2000s, revealed her multifaceted genius with pastels, felt pens, and light-hearted verse. Her work celebrated humans, animals, and the natural environment of Santiniketan in West Bengal, where she settled in 1967.
Laxman Pai (1926-2023)
Although closely associated with the Progressive Artists' Group, Laxman Pai never formally joined the movement. This didn't protect him from controversy at the J.J. School of Art in Bombay, where he taught after completing his education in 1947. When he refused to denounce his friend F.N. Souza (whose nude paintings had upset then-chief minister Morarji Desai), Pai was demoted and subsequently resigned.
With help from friend S.H. Raza, Pai traveled to Paris, where he remained until the mid-1960s as part of the avant-garde artistic elite. Inspired by Chinese painter Zao Wou-ki's blending of Western abstraction with traditional Chinese brushwork, Pai began drawing from multiple cultural sources. His work shows influences ranging from Egyptian art to Jain miniatures. He returned to India in the late 1970s, serving as principal of Goa College of Art until his death.
Biren De (1926-2011)
Biren De represents a curious figure in Indian art history. Like his contemporary Raza, he transitioned from early figurative painting in the realist mode to abstraction. His work, often described as "neo-Tantrism," drew inspiration from mandala art, though De himself maintained he was agnostic.
A master colorist, De incorporated recurring symbols like the lotus, sun, wheel, and seeds to represent resurgence and motion. His work demonstrates a gradual transition from realism to abstraction, with a cubist phase in between. The bindu (point) became a central motif, representing the locus where all energy concentrates and emanates.
R.N. Pasricha (1926-95)
Born in Amritsar and raised in Delhi, R.N. Pasricha initially studied science and trained as a typist before discovering his artistic calling under the tutelage of artist Abani Sen. Without formal training in his youth, Pasricha mastered watercolor under Sen's guidance, making it his primary medium.
Primarily a landscape artist influenced by Nicholas Roerich's Himalayan paintings, Pasricha developed a unique relationship with color and perspective. He traveled extensively through north Indian hills, trekking difficult routes to practice plein air painting. His dedication earned him a place in the Limca Book of Records for painting more mountain scenes than any other Indian artist, though this hardly captures the exquisite expressiveness of his work.
Y.G. Srimati (1926-2007)
A true polymath, Y.G. Srimati danced, played the veena, and painted with equal facility while leading a relatively private life between Madras (now Chennai) and New York. As a young woman, she became a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi, singing at his public gatherings while developing her painting skills in the style of Bengal School masters like Nandalal Bose.
Srimati's work drew heavily from Hindu mythology and was influenced by the murals at Ajanta and Ellora. Despite her preference for watercolor, she achieved remarkable depth and texture in paintings like Parashuram with the Battle Axe (1946) and her illustrations for a special edition of the Bhagavad Gita. Her 2016 posthumous exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York revealed how she had painted nude depictions of Hindu deities decades before M.F. Husain faced controversy for similar work.
Inderjeet Singh (Imroz) (1926-2023)
Better known as Imroz, this poet and artist is widely remembered as writer Amrita Pritam's partner. Their 40-year relationship was movingly captured in Uma Trilok's Amrita-Imroz: A Love Story (2006), with a selection of their letters published in 2019 revealing the depth of their affection. While Imroz divided his talents between poetry and portrait painting, his artistic contemporaries devoted themselves more exclusively to visual art.
Legacy of the 1926 Generation
These six artists, along with their contemporaries born in 1926, created a rich tapestry of Indian modernism that operated outside the mainstream spotlight. Their work demonstrates that artistic innovation doesn't always require membership in celebrated collectives or commercial success. Through quiet dedication, intellectual rigor, and unique artistic visions, they expanded the possibilities of Indian art and deserve recognition as important contributors to the nation's cultural heritage.
Their stories remind us that art history is often written by the visible and celebrated, while equally significant contributions may come from those who work quietly, driven by creative passion rather than public acclaim. As we mark what would have been their centenary years, it's time to properly acknowledge these artists who helped shape modern Indian art through distinctive voices and uncompromising visions.
