Untitled

Somnath Hore

Renowned as one of India’s most significant printmakers, Somnath Hore is unparalleled in his emphatic depiction of human suffering and anguish, subjects ravaged by forces beyond their control. Deeply influenced by the historic events that scarred his early years, notably the 1943 Famine, World War II, and the Japanese bombings that devastated Bengal, these experiences left an indelible mark and profoundly shaped his artistic practice.

In this evocative work, Hore sets three emaciated figures in a harrowing union. The mother is cloaked in darkness, sitting hunched, her form enveloping her frail child and dog in a tender embrace. The child is tucked close, almost leaning into her hand that rests gently under his chin. Her other hand extends behind the dog, held protectively. The empty bowl beside them becomes a silent plea for alms, alerting the viewer to their dire situation. Executed in simple, bold lines in a monochromatic palette, the composition strips the figures to their essential forms, while the stark contrasts heighten its emotional intensity.

The artist has captured the figures in a state of starvation, evident in their hollow eyes, sunken faces and jutting bones. Yet the central figure of the mother appears monumental and imposing. Her body seems enlarged, almost beyond natural scale, as she towers over to shelter the fragile figures nestled beneath her. It is as if, despite her own frailty, she is striving to shield them from the harsh, unperturbed world beyond.