M. F. Husain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
M. F. Husain
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M. F. Husain in 2010
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| Born |
Maqbool Fida Husain
17 September 1915 |
| Died | 9 June 2011 (aged 95) |
| Nationality | Indian (1915—2010) Qatari (2010—2011) |
| Education | Sir J. J. School of Art |
| Known for | Painting |
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Notable work
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Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities Through the Eyes of a Painter |
| Movement | Bombay Progressive Artists' Group |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan (1973) Padma Vibhushan (1991) |
| Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 12 May 1986 – 11 May 1992 |
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Maqbool Fida Husain (born September 17, 1915 – died June 9, 2011) was a famous Indian artist. He was known for his bright, storytelling paintings. His art often used a style similar to Cubism, which breaks things into geometric shapes.
Husain was one of India's most well-known artists in the 20th century. He helped start the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group. This group wanted to create new, modern Indian art. His paintings told stories and could be funny, serious, or even a bit sharp. He painted about many different topics. These included Mohandas K. Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and stories from Indian epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. He also showed scenes from Indian city and village life. In 2020, one of his paintings, "Voices," sold for a record $2.5 million.
Some of Husain's later paintings caused disagreements. Certain groups felt his art disrespected religious beliefs. Because of these issues, he lived outside India from 2006 until he passed away in 2011. He became a citizen of Qatar in 2010.
Husain also worked in films. In 1967, he won an award for his experimental film Through the Eyes of a Painter. Later, in 2004, he directed Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities. He worked on this film with his artist son, Owais Husain. The movie was even shown at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
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Life Story of M. F. Husain
M. F. Husain was born on September 17, 1915. His birthplace was Pandharpur in what is now Maharashtra, India. He came from a Suleymani Bohra family. He first learned about art by studying calligraphy. This was while he lived at a Madrasa in Baroda. Later, Husain went to the Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art in Mumbai.
Early Career and Art Style
When he was young, Husain painted posters for movies in Mumbai. He also designed toys for a toy company to earn more money. He often traveled to Gujarat to paint beautiful landscapes.
In the 1930s, Husain improved his painting skills. He painted large billboards for the growing Bollywood film industry. In 1934, he sold his very first painting. He sold it on the roadside for 10 rupees. Husain's father was an accountant. He wanted his son to go into business instead of art.
Forming the Progressive Artists' Group
In December 1947, Husain and other young artists formed the Progressive Artists' Group. This happened after the Partition of India and Pakistan. The artists saw the Partition as a big change for India. They wanted to create a new style of Indian art. This new art would be modern and connect with art from around the world.
Husain had his first solo art show in 1952 in Zürich. His first art show in the United States was in New York City in 1964. In 1971, he was a special guest at an art show in Brazil. He was invited along with the famous artist Pablo Picasso. In 1986, he became a special member of the Rajya Sabha. This is like being a member of India's parliament.
Later Years and Challenges
M. F. Husain liked to paint about different cultures and religions. Some of his paintings, created in the 1970s, showed Hindu goddesses. These paintings caused strong reactions from some groups. They felt the art disrespected their religious beliefs. In the 1990s, protests began against him. Several legal complaints were filed.
In 1998, some groups attacked Husain's house. They damaged his artworks. Police arrested many people involved in the attack. Protests against him also led to an art show in England being closed.
Film Work and Controversies
Husain also directed movies. He made Gaja Gamini in 2000. This film was a tribute to actress Madhuri Dixit, who was often a subject in his paintings. He also appeared in a scene in the 1997 film Mohabbat.
He later made Meenaxi: A Tale of Three Cities with actress Tabu. This film was taken out of cinemas soon after it was released. Some Muslim groups objected to a song in the movie. They said the song contained words from the Quran. Husain's son explained that the words were about divine beauty. He said there was no intention to offend anyone. After the protests, Husain decided to withdraw his movie. Even so, critics liked the film, and it won several awards.
Living in Exile
In 2006, Husain faced more legal charges for his paintings. He was accused of "hurting people's feelings." Because of these issues, Husain chose to live outside India. He lived in Doha, Qatar, and spent summers in London. He wanted to return to India but worried about facing legal problems.
Husain became one of India's highest-paid painters. In 2008, one of his paintings sold for $1.6 million at an auction. In 2008, he was asked to create 32 large paintings about Indian history. He finished 8 of them before he passed away. In 2010, he became a citizen of Qatar and gave up his Indian passport. In Qatar, he worked on two big projects. One was about Arab civilization, and the other was about Indian civilization. These works are planned for a museum in Doha.
At 92, Husain received the Raja Ravi Varma award from the government of Kerala. This award also caused some debate. In 2010, a group called the Jordanian Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre named Husain as one of the 500 most influential Muslims.
Passing Away
M. F. Husain passed away on June 9, 2011, at the age of 95. He had a heart attack. He died at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. He was buried in Brookwood Cemetery in England.
Some other Indian artists felt sad about how Husain was treated. They believed he was forced to live in exile. Many of his fans asked the Indian government to give him the Bharat Ratna. This is India's highest award. They felt he should be honored for his dedication to Indian culture. Husain created a huge amount of art in his lifetime. He made about 40,000 paintings over 10 decades.
Husain himself said that many Hindu leaders did not speak against his paintings. He believed that only people with political reasons created the controversies. After Husain's death, a political leader named Bal Thackeray said that Husain only made mistakes in showing Hindu gods and goddesses. He added that if Husain's death was a loss for modern art, then so be it.
Awards and Recognitions
M. F. Husain received many important awards for his art:
- Padma Shri in 1966, from the Government of India.
- Padma Bhushan in 1973, from the Government of India.
- Padma Vibhushan in 1991, from the Government of India.
- Raja Ravi Varma Award in 2007, from the Government of Kerala.
- Honorary Doctorates from universities like Banaras Hindu University and University of Calicut.
- National Art Award in 2004, from Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
- Aditya Vikram Birla ‘Kalashikkar’ Award in 1997 for his lifetime achievements.
- National Film Award for Best Experimental Film for Through the Eyes of a Painter in 1968.
- Golden Bear short film award for Through the Eyes of a Painter at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1967. This film was later bought by the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City.
- International Biennale Award in 1959, Tokyo.
- First Prize at the National Exhibition of Art in 1955, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi.
- Award from the Bombay Art Society in 1947, Mumbai.
Legacy and Influence
M. F. Husain's life and art continue to be important. Two documentary films were made about him by Santi P. Choudhury. These were Husain (1980) and A Painter Of Our Time: Hussain (1976). Husain himself had made a film for the same government division.
On September 17, 2015, the search engine Google honored M. F. Husain. They created a special Doodle for his 100th birthday.
See also
