M. F. Husain (b.1915, Maharashtra, India) was an Indian painter widely regarded as the “Picasso of India.” He is arguably the most recognisable figure of modern and contemporary Indian art, influencing a generation of Indian artists to come. Self-taught Husain moved to Mumbai at an early age to begin his artistic career, painting billboards for cinemas. Themes in Husain's work often return to these cultural roots, embracing diverse influences– from the cinematography of Luis Buñuel to themes that blend folk, tribal, and mythological figures, creating contemporary, living art forms in his work. Husain's narrative paintings, executed in a modified Cubist style, can be caustic and funny as well as serious and sombre. His themes –– usually treated in series –– also include hallmarks of Indian culture and history, such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the British Empire, and motifs of urban and rural life in India.
Enormously prolific, a gifted self-promoter and hard bargainer, Husain claimed to have produced some 60,000 paintings. His first exhibition took place in 1947, with his painting Sunhera Sansaar shown at the annual exhibition of the Bombay Art Society. In 1951, the artist had his first solo exhibition in Zurich, and so began a series of exhibitions across Europe and the United States. Expanding beyond painting, Husain began making feature films in the subsequent decade, including Through the Eyes of a Painter (1966), which won the 'Golden Bear Award' at the Berlin Film Festival (1967), and was also awarded the 'Gaja Gamini Award' in 2000. The Government of India honoured Husain with the 'Padma Bhushan' and the 'Padma Vibhushan' award. In 2007, Husain received Honorary Doctorates from Benaras Hindu University, Jamia Millia Islamia University, and Mysore University.
The artist passed away on June 9th, 2011, in London, UK.