Sunil Das

Sunil Das (1939–2015) was an important Indian post-modernist painter renowned for his powerful drawings and paintings of horses and bulls. Born in Calcutta, he studied at the Government College of Arts and Crafts before receiving a French Government scholarship to study at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He also trained at Atelier 17 under S. William Hayter and Krishna Reddy. Das gained national recognition in 1959 when he became the only Indian artist to receive the Lalit Kala Akademi National Award while still an undergraduate. His extensive studies of horses and bullfighting inspired dynamic works capturing movement, energy, aggression, and power. He also created provocative works addressing the pressures faced by women, continually experimenting with mediums, techniques, and styles throughout his career.