Amarnath Sehgal (1922–2007) was an Indian sculptor, painter and poet, widely recognised as one of the leading figures in modern Indian sculpture during the second half of the twentieth century. His work in bronze and other media engaged with humanist themes and the social experience of post-Independence India.
| Name | Amarnath Sehgal |
|---|---|
| Born | 1922 |
| Died | 2007 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Sculptor, painter, poet |
| Medium | Sculpture, including bronze |
Sehgal belonged to the generation of Indian artists whose careers spanned the years immediately before and after Independence in 1947. He worked across sculpture, drawing and writing, and his practice combined formal experimentation with a sustained interest in human subjects.
Sehgal's sculptural output forms the principal part of his artistic legacy. He produced public and gallery works in India and abroad, and his pieces have been associated with themes of suffering, dignity and the human condition. Among his notable public commissions was a large mural commissioned for a major government building in New Delhi, which later became the subject of a significant case concerning the moral rights of artists in Indian copyright law.
Sehgal's name is associated with a landmark Indian legal dispute relating to the treatment of an artist's work after it had been removed and damaged. The case is frequently cited in discussions of moral rights under Indian copyright law and the obligations of those holding works of art created by others.
Sehgal is remembered both for his contribution to modern Indian sculpture and for the legal precedent connected with his work, which has shaped subsequent thinking on artists' rights in India. His writings in poetry and prose extended the themes present in his visual art.