Satish Sinha

Satish Sinha (1893-1965) pursued his initial passion for art, despite selecting a different career in life. An artist with strong will and determination, Sinha succeeded in accomplishing his dream as a professional artist by rendering brilliant traditional art that projects Indian women. 

Born in North Calcutta, India, Satish showed immense talent in painting from a tender age. To discover his creativity and passion in fine art, Satish enrolled in the Government Art School at the age of 18. Training under Jamini Prakash Ganguly and Percy Brown to study the diverse styles and techniques in the Indian art scene, sadly, he had to give up his studies after three years.  

Due to his father's untimely death, Sinha had to work as an insurance agent and stockbroker. But his insatiable urge to follow his passion for art persisted, extracting time to privately learn the craft and art discourse. After his relentless pursuit, he illustrated magazine articles and books in association with the Bengali journal Basmati.

Not only had he later joined as a teacher at Government Art School but also became the principal of the Indian College of Art and Draughtsmanship. The artist followed a realist form with a high emphasis on the western approach to art. His subjects were focused on female figures, drawing inspiration from the likes of Raja Ravi Varma. Sinha projects simple yet intricate details in each of his artwork like Maiden and Deer and the portrait of a mother and child, to name a few.  

Sinha portrayed his paintings by rendering them in a natural setting, utilising lights and shadows as his key elements. Employing various shades and contours to illuminate paintings and at times converge them in places, his expertise in oil improved considerably over time.