Untitled by Anita Roy Chowdhury

Anita Roy Chowdhury (1939–2017) was a pioneering modernist painter whose lyrical, nature-infused works played a significant role in shaping post-independence Indian art. Born into an eminent Kolkata family, she displayed early artistic talent and went on to study at the Government College of Art & Craft, Calcutta, where she trained alongside future luminaries like Jogen Chowdhury and Sunil Das. Guided by mentors such as Gopal Ghosh, she developed a distinctive approach to watercolor and color harmony.

A member of the Society of Contemporary Artists from 1959 and later the Calcutta Painters group, she held her first solo show in 1962 and exhibited widely across India and abroad. Her art blended figurative forms, natural motifs, and abstract sensibilities with a uniquely musical rhythm—marked by fluid brushwork, restrained palettes, and a deep spiritual connection to nature. Roy Chowdhury’s work remains celebrated for its sensitivity, sensuality, and timeless emotional resonance