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Somnath Hore

Somnath Hore explored a variety of techniques in printmaking, including etching, woodcut, wood-engraving and linocut. His works are often characterized by certain archetypes, such as exposed ribs, symbolic of the hunger, malnutrition, and death witnessed during the Bengal famine of 1943.

His early etchings were like sketches, but eventually, they transformed into figures, less defined by staunch lines, turning more lyrical and softer. This solitary figure in the artwork, with ribs jutting out at the back and a bit of a bloated belly, is a true artistic representation of the desolate times during the man-made famine. Even without any prominent facial features, the feelings of dejection and despair loom over the work.