India has always been a treasure trove of immense art and creativity since several centuries. And when it comes to portrait painting, India is no exception.
From the historical royal courts to the bustling modern studios, Indian artists have consistently captured the essence of their subjects with a mix of culture, emotion, and technical brilliance.
But when we think about portrait painters, who can be the true legends of the Indian painting world? They will be the ones who did not just paint faces but used them to tell stories, break boundaries, and also leave indelible marks on the historical canvas.
If you are a new learner or are learning digital portrait painting, you can learn a lot from these painters.
So, grab yourself a cup of chai, and let us explore the top 5 contenders for India’s Greatest Portrait Painter—and we will also tell you why they deserve a spot on this prestigious list.
So grab yourself a cup of chai, and let us explore the top 5 contenders for India’s Greatest Portrait Painter—and we will also tell you why they deserve a spot on this prestigious list.
Onto the list!
1. Raja Ravi Varma (Born: 1848, Deceased: 1906)
Raja Ravi Verma is a shining jewel of the Indian art culture. He was born in 1848 in Kerala and he became a legend by blending techniques used by Europeans to paint Indian souls. He was once a kid doodling on palace walls, but he grew up to learn to paint gods, goddesses, and royals.
He has also won awards in Vienna and Chicago, putting the Indian painting world on a global stage.
But he did not just stop there in life—he started a lithographic press company to make art affordable for as many as he could.
From Shakuntala to Lakshmi, his paintings are everywhere, from your grandmother’s house to palaces still standing in India. He has been in calendars and matchboxes too, making his art immortal to traditional and digital portrait painting enthusiasts, even though he left the world in 1906.
2. Amrita Sher-Gil (Born: 1913, Deceased: 1941)
Amrita Sher Gil has acquired the nickname of “Indian Frida Kahlo”. She was well-known for blending European Modernist vibes with traditional Indian themes. You can think of her as Cézanne making Ajanta caves.
She was born in Budapest in 1913, received training in Paris and was inspired by India. She has said in the past, “India belongs only to me”, and she made India her canvas.
Amrita ditched the pale and romantic style popular in her time and instead used vibrant colors to paint the raw emotions of rural women. Her works, Bride’s Toilet and South Indian Villagers, are considered legendary.
She also drew inspiration from ancient Indian cave paintings, mixing their elegance with her European training to create something incredible and unique.
Amrita was known to be a rule-breaker and once criticized the Bengal School for being “retrograde.” Instead, she brought a new experimental edge to Indian art.
Although she tragically died at 28, her art pieces are national treasures. The Story Teller, a painting of Amrita, sold for a jaw-dropping ₹61.8 crore in 2023 (about 7.2 million dollars).
She is not only on food stamps, but entire roads are named after her. Her influence is everywhere—and she is not just an artist but a cultural icon for traditional and digital portrait painting artists.
3. M. V. Dhurandhar (Born: 1867, Deceased: 1944)
M. V. Dhurandar was born in 1867 in Kohlapur. He joined the Mumbai JJ School of Art in the 1890s and became a passionate star student. His principal even picked him to document the Ajanta Caves.
He is known for bringing Indian mythologies to life, and his paintings like Do You Come Lakshmi? And Hindu Deities are legendary. You can imagine everyone, including Vishnu, Lakshmi, and Shiva, hanging out in an epic scene—that’s Dhurandhar’s magic to the canvas.
Dhurandhar won a British Government Award in 1892 for his painting Women At Work and a gold medal at the Bombay Art Society.
He was not only a master of portraits but also landscapes and beautiful book illustrations. He even designed postcards and oleographs and proved himself the OG multitasker of Indian art culture.
His art also inspires artists today because it acts as a bridge between traditions, combining Indian traditions while maintaining a sense of Western realism.
Dhurandhar has a catalogue of over 1500 paintings and countless accolades. He proved that he was not just a painter but a storyteller, a visionary, and a legend for both traditional and digital oil painting devotees.
4. Jamini Roy (Born: 1887, Deceased: 1972)
Jamini Roy grew up as an artist who specialized in Western-style realism. However, he abandoned this style and embraced the Kalighat style of West Bengal, creating a bold and colorful style that screams desi pride.
His art features an incredible line control ability, flat colors, and simple forms—think Mother and Child and Seated Women—making rural Indian culture the center star of his work.
Roy was unafraid to try new things; he dabbled in painting on palm leaves and designing crystalware for Steuben Glass. Talk thinking outside the canvas.
His art was relatable to everyone, from villagers to the elites of Kolkata. He incorporated Bengal’s folk traditions into modern art.
Roy was an award magnet, winning the Padma Bhushan in 1955. In 1976, his work was declared a national treasure.
Even after his death, his vibrant, folksy art inspires traditional and digital oil painting fans and reminds Indians of their rich cultural roots.
5. Pestonji Bomanji (Born: 1851, Deceased: 1938)
Pestonji Bomanji joined the JJ School of Art at the age of 13. His talent caught the eye of principal John Griffiths, who selected Him for the Ajanta Mural Project.
Bomanji was an expert at blending Western realism with an Indian flair, and he created stunning portraits that earned him the title of “The Indian Rembrandt”.
Bomanji also specialised in painting his community, the Parsi community. He captured the lives and roles of Parsi women, being a trailblazer of his time.
He was trained under the British painter Valentine Prinsep and helped Bomanji create his signature style, which combines European techniques with Indian subjects.
His paintings are like a photo album of Parsi life in the 19th century, and he did well in preserving their fashion, customs, and activism.
In the world of sameness in digital oil painting, Bomanji’s art reminds us to celebrate our individuality and roots.
Wrapping it up!
And there you have it—India’s Top 5 portrait painters, each a legend in their own right! From the godly canvases of Raja Ravi Varma to the bold, emotional strokes of Amrita Sher-Gil, these artists did not just paint faces; these painters used their canvases to paint India’s soul.
M. V. Dhurandhar brought mythologies to life, and Jamini Roy celebrated folk art with a modern twist. Pestonji Bomanji immortalised the Parsi community by bringing a realistic charm to European realism.
Together, they refined Indian art, blending tradition with innovation. They left behind their legacies, which will continue to inspire many new artists who are learning now. So, next time you see their portraits, remember that they are not just portraits but a piece of India’s soul.