Amrita Sher-Gil – Drents Museum, The Netherlands

“Europe belongs to Picasso, Matisse, Braque, and many others. India belongs solely to me.” With these words, Amrita Sher-Gil (1913–1941) described her unique position in the art world. She is considered the founder of modern Indian art.

Starting March 22, 2026, the Drents Museum will exhibit paintings and drawings by the Hungarian-Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil (Budapest 1913 – Lahore 1941). She lived for only 28 years, but left behind an impressive and influential oeuvre. Yet, Amrita Sher-Gil remains relatively unknown to the general public outside India. This may also be because her work has rarely been seen outside India. Her art was last exhibited in Europe almost twenty years ago.

Sher-Gil was born in Budapest to an Indian father and a Hungarian mother. She studied in Paris and became the first Indian student at the École des Beaux-Arts. Besides Picasso, Matisse, and Braque, she was inspired by Paul Cézanne, Vincent van Gogh, and Suzanne Valadon. At a young age, she developed a distinctive style and her work received awards. In 1934, she returned to India, where she found her own style: a powerful blend of European modernist influences and Indian colors, themes, and narratives.