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Somnath Hore was a modernist with a cause. His extensive oeuvre, revolving around his empathetic response towards the disintegrating state of the human condition and the physical and psychological effects of conflicts, left an indelible mark on Indian art and history. Born in 1921 (Chittagong district, undivided Bengal), Hore’s worldview was shaped by a series of personal and historical incidents. The death of his father, the repercussions of World War II, and the devastating man-made famine in Bengal left him with emotional scars.
His interest in art was informed by his socialist leanings after induction into the Communist Party during his college days in Calcutta. As a party worker and artist, Hore’s art evolved to support the party’s propaganda in the form of posters. His biggest contribution was his observations and documentation of atrocities committed towards innocent people because of the poor policies of the imperial colonizers. These themes continued to guide his art across innumerable mediums, despite taking a step back from an active political life.
