M. F. Hussain, one of India’s most prominent modern artists, was lauded as the Picasso of India by Forbes magazine, but criticized as heretical by his countrymen. This polarizing figure was born in 1915 in Pandharpur, India, but relocated to Mumbai in 1935, to design and paint movie billboards. In 1947, the Bombay Art Society debuted M. F. Hussain’s artwork. The success of this exhibition led Hussain to be the founder of the influential Progressive Artists Group.
In addition to his paintings, M. F. Hussain made films, and one of which won prestige at Berlin’s International Film Festival. Like his films, M. F. Hussain’s paintings focused on a broad range of subjects, but late-career pieces depicting Hindu goddesses in the nude were met with such condemnation that Hussain left India in exile. Nonetheless, M. F. Hussain’s paintings’ values continue to grow. Collectors can find distinctive modern paintings for sale at auction and online.
