Ganesh Pyne

Ganesh Pyne, born in Calcutta in 1937, was an Indian painter and draughtsman whose distinctive art drew deeply from Bengali folklore, mythology, fantasy, and childhood memories. He began sketching as a child and was particularly influenced by Abanindranath Tagore and the Bengal School. After graduating from the Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, with a diploma in drawing and painting in 1959, Pyne began his artistic career as a book illustrator and animation sketch artist. In 1963, he joined the Society of Contemporary Artists. He developed a personal style described as “poetic surrealism,” characterised by fantasy and dark imagery. Working in watercolour, gouache, and tempera, his small-scale works often featured microcosmic images and motifs inspired by Bengali fables, fairy tales, and Baul music.