How will you remember M F Husain?

Maqbool Fida Husain moved from being a Bollywood billboard painter to become India’s most distinguished painter, often drawing parallels with Pablo Picasso along with whom in 1971 he was invited to the Sao Paulo Biennial.

Born on September 17, 1915 at Pandharpur in Maharashtra, Husain joined the J J School of Arts where he learnt his trade. In 1947, Hussain won an award for his paintings at the annual exhibition of the Bombay art society, which made the art world sit up and take notice.

In 1966 he was awarded the Padmashree followed by the Padma Bhushan in 1973, the Padma Vibhushan in 1989 and also nominated to the Rajya Sabha in 1986.

The artist ran into controversy with his portrayal of Hindu deities, upsetting the sections of the society. His house was attacked in 1998 by the Bajrang Dal and his art works were vandalized. He received a lot of death threats and was forced to leave the country.

As a film maker, the artist also faced flak for the depiction of characters in his films. His most controversial painting was that of Mother India. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad claimed that portraying India in such a way was derogatory.

Will MF Husain have a Galileo-like experience of being shunned while alive and accepted as a great after death? With the reactions from various political parties and Bollywood at the moment it seems that Husain is being referred to as a great artist whom India has lost.

But how will you, dear reader, remember him? Tell us in the message board below.