Somnath Hore Biography 
Somnath Hore was an Indian sculptor and printmaker, born in Chittagong of present Bangladesh. He portrayed major historical crises and events of 20th century Bengal through his art pieces, especially sketches, sculptures and prints. One of his largest sculpture tributes, Mother and Child was stolen from Kala Bhavan soon after it was finished and couldn’t find yet.
Somnath Hore was born in 1921 in Chittagong. He lost his father at a younger age. His uncle schooled him. He was attracted to Communist ideologies during his youth and it was deeply reflected in his early works. His association with communist party even helped him to get entrance to the Government Art College in Kolkata. There he became a disciple of Haren Das of graphics department and learnt several techniques of printmaking medium. He learnt the methods and nuances of printmaking, mainly lithography and intaglio from Arts College. In 1943 he did visual documentation and reported Bengal famine for Jannayuddha, Communist party magazine. Hore became a follower of Chittaprosad Bhattacharya.
By the 1950s he was regarded as the premier printmaker in India. He invented and developed various printmaking techniques including pulp-print technique. Very soon he joined Shantiniketan as Graphics and Printmaking Department head. Later he had a long term association with Kala Bhavan, where he worked as a faculty. Noted painter K.G. Subramanyan and the sculptor Ramkinkar Baij were his close associates there. He started making sculptures during 1970’s. His contorted bronze figurines that captured the agonies of famine and war became iconic emblems of modern Indian art.
Hore's drawings and his Tebhaga series of woodcuts were influenced by Chinese Socialist Realism and German Expressionism during early 1950’s. He was also influenced by the styles of German printmaker Käthe Kollwitz and Austrian Expressionist Oskar Kokoschka. Hore died in 2006 aged 85.
Published: N/A
Updated: January 10, 2014
