M. F. Husain
Painter and member of the Progressive Artists’ Group
- Lived
- 95 yrs
- 1915 – 2011
- Works listed
- 2
- Film (director)
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 1991
- Profile views
- 0
- 0 followers
M. F. Husain was one of India’s most famous and commercially successful modern artists, a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group. His later career was overshadowed by controversy over his depictions of Hindu deities, which led him into self-imposed exile.
Biography
Early life
Maqbool Fida Husain was born in Pandharpur and raised partly in Indore after his mother’s death. He moved to Bombay in 1935, where he painted large cinema billboards and designed toys and furniture to make a living, teaching himself to paint.
Career
Husain began by painting cinema hoardings in Bombay. In 1947 he joined the Progressive Artists’ Group, which sought a new, modern Indian art. His vigorous figurative style — horses, rural life, the Mahabharata and Ramayana, and series on Mother Teresa and Indian women — made him the best-known Indian painter of his generation. His short film Through the Eyes of a Painter won the Golden Bear for short film at the 1967 Berlin Film Festival, and he later directed Gaja Gamini (2000).
Showman artist
Husain was famous for painting barefoot, for his flamboyant public persona and for his prolific output — tens of thousands of works. He became one of the first Indian modernists to command high prices internationally. A great admirer of the actress Madhuri Dixit, he made the film Gaja Gamini (2000) starring her.
Controversy and exile
From the 1990s his nude depictions of Hindu goddesses provoked protests and numerous lawsuits. He left India in 2006, lived in Dubai, London and Qatar, and accepted Qatari citizenship in 2010. He died in London on 9 June 2011. He had received the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, and served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha.
Legacy
Husain remains one of the best-known and most commercially successful Indian artists; his canvases regularly set records at auction. He is remembered both as a pioneer who brought Indian modernism to a mass audience and as a symbol of debates over artistic freedom and religious sentiment in India.
Timeline
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1915
Born in Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra)
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1935
Moves to Bombay
Paints cinema hoardings.
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1947
Joins the Progressive Artists’ Group
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1966
Padma Shri
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1967
Golden Bear for short film
Through the Eyes of a Painter.
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1971
Special invitee at the São Paulo Biennial
With Pablo Picasso.
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1973
Padma Bhushan
-
1991
Padma Vibhushan
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2000
Directs Gaja Gamini
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2006
Leaves India
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2010
Accepts Qatari citizenship
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2011
Dies in London
-
2011
Died, aged 95
Notable works
-
2000
Gaja Gamini Film (director)
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2004
Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities Film (director)
Awards and honours
-
Padma Shri
1966
-
Padma Bhushan
1973
-
Padma Vibhushan
1991
Did you know?
-
1
He was famous for walking and painting barefoot.
-
2
He started out painting giant cinema billboards in Bombay.
-
3
Forbes called him the “Picasso of India”.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
-
S. H. Raza
Art & Design · Painter known for the bindu and a founder of the Progressive Artists’ Group
Fellow member of the Progressive Artists’ Group
-
Mother Teresa
Activism & Humanitarian · Founder of the Missionaries of Charity; Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Catholic saint
Subject of a celebrated series
Also born on 17 September
Frequently asked
Who is M. F. Husain?
M. F. Husain was one of India’s most famous and commercially successful modern artists, a founding member of the Progressive Artists’ Group. His later career was overshadowed by controversy over his depictions of Hindu deities, which led him into self-imposed exile.
When did M. F. Husain die?
M. F. Husain died on 9 June 2011 at the age of 95.
Where is M. F. Husain from?
M. F. Husain was born in Pandharpur, Bombay Presidency (now Maharashtra).
What is M. F. Husain known for?
M. F. Husain is best known for Bold, colourful canvases of horses, Indian epics and Mother Teresa; Progressive Artists’ Group.
What awards has M. F. Husain received?
Notable honours include Padma Shri (1966), Padma Bhushan (1973), Padma Vibhushan (1991).
References
- M. F. Husain — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- M. F. Husain — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- M. F. Husain — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- M. F. Husain — Invaluable artist page. Invaluable. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- M. F. Husain — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- M. F. Husain (Q558522) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“M. F. Husain.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/m-f-husain
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