6 most beautiful paintings by Indian artists | The Times of India (2024)

Amrita Sher-Gil is often hailed as India's Frida Kahlo and rightly so!
In her self-portrait, Amrita can be seen smiling brightly, her hair open and flowing to the back of her body. It's colourful and full of energy, just like her.
Her big smile tells the audience that she was happy and proud and painted herself with the best confidence and warmth. This painting is special because it captures not just how she looked, but also how she probably felt inside.

Sher-Gil’s self portrait is like a window into her world, and is loved by many.

Raja Ravi Varma is rightly hailed as the maestro of Indian realism. He had the beautiful and unique ability to bring his paintings and the characters to life. Based on the epic Sanskrit play ‘Abhijnanasakuntalam’ by Kalidasa, this painting shows the moment when Shakuntala, lost in thought, looks back to spot someone and pretends as if she is picking something from her feet. Varma's mastery lies in his ability to add life to the simple story and with the beautiful, bright colours, it is almost as if one can feel just how Shakuntala did.

SL Haldankar's ‘Glow of Hope’ is a masterpiece that shines bright with feminine beauty and elegance. The painting shows a woman, in beautiful Indian attire, holding a lamp, her face lit up by its gentle glow. Against a dark background, the warm colours of the lamp are like a symbol of hope and beauty. Haldankar's careful attention to detail, especially in the play of light and shadow, fills the artwork with a sense of realism.

A characteristic feature of Sher-Gil’s paintings were her portraits of real humans. Amrita used to paint and capture a lot of people, including her relatives, like her cousin in 'Sumair'. The painting shows a woman with a strong but sad face, probably revealing a story and expression of tough times. The lighting focused on her face adds depth to her expression, making it more interesting and intriguing to look at. Despite wearing colourful clothes and jewellery, the woman looks helpless, making viewers feel sad for her.

(All images courtesy: Pinterest)

Another beautiful masterpiece by Raja Ravi Varma, ‘Lady under the Moonlight’ is surely the epitome of elegance and grace. The painting captures a woman, covered in the soft glow of moonlight, her calm face looking almost like she is sitting over there waiting for somebody. Raja Ravi Varma's skillful use of light and shadow create a sense of mystery in the painting, drawing viewers into the nighttime scene.

Jamini Roy, the man who is known for his efforts in combining folk art with modernism, showed his new, unique style through his paintings. In ‘The Three Pujarins’, Roy paints three women holding objects of puja in their hands, with a very serene expression on their face. The women are portrayed with elongated figures and simple features, which is a characteristic of Roy's style influenced by Bengali folk art. The vibrant colours used by Roy, majorly the solid blue, yellow, and hints of red, with the women wearing nose rings has a sense of straight expression to them.