Introduction
- Date of Birth
- 27 Aug 1910
- Zodiac sign
- Virgo
- Date of Death
- 10 Nov 1979
- Age
- 69
- Place of Birth
- Purulia, West Bengal, India
- State Country of Birth
- West Bengal, India
1933
- Diploma, City College, Kolkata University, India
1937
- Graduated in law and started legal practice
1937 – 1938
1938
- Association with Abanindranath Tagore
1938 – 1939
- Visited the studios of Jamini Prakash Gangooly and Atul Bose and received lessons and encouragement from them
1938 – 1939
- Served a two-year apprenticeship in portrait painting with Hemendranath Mazumdar
1938 – 1940
1943
- Joined the Calcutta Group, Kolkata, India
Exhibitions
1957
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
1961
- Hofstra College, New York, USA
1963
- Gallery Everest, Kolkata, India
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1973
- Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
06 Feb 1973 to 18 Feb 1973
1977
- Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
09 Jan 1977 to 30 Jan 1977
1980
02 Sep 1980 to 14 Sep 1980
1993
- Retrospective, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
1998
- Symbolism and Geometry in Indian Art, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India
2001
07 Aug 2001 to 14 Aug 2001
2003
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
29 Nov 2003 to 13 Dec 2003
- Manifestations: Indian Art in 20th Century, from the DAG collection, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery at World Trade Center, Mumbai, India
12 Nov 2003 to 19 Nov 2003
2004
- The Underlying Spirit, The Inaugural Exhibition from the Osian's Archive Collection, Curated by Neville Tuli, Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
09 Nov 2004 to 18 Nov 2004
- Manifestations II: Indian Art in 20th Century, 100 Artists from the DAG Collection, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
25 Jul 2004 to 31 Jul 2004
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
09 Aug 2004 to 21 Aug 2004
2005
- Manifestations III: 100 Artists, from the Delhi Art Gallery Collection, Nehru Center, Mumbai, India
06 Apr 2005 to 12 Apr 2005
- Revisualising India, From The Osian's Archive & Library Collection, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
16 Aug 2005 to 02 Sep 2005
- Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
22 Apr 2005 to 27 Apr 2005
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
30 Apr 2005 to 14 May 2005
- Bengal and Beyond: The Evolution of Bengal Art, Presented by Art & Soul, Curated by Siddharth Tagore, at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
01 Oct 2005 to 07 Oct 2005
2007
- Still-Life: Adaptations in 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
09 Dec 2007 to 10 Jan 2008
2011
- Manifestations V: 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
18 Apr 2011 to 18 Jun 2011
2012
- Printed Pictures: Four Centuries of Indian Printmaking, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
13 Oct 2012 to 03 Nov 2012
- Manifestations - VII: 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
26 Mar 2012 to 31 Jul 2012
25 Jan 2012 to 17 Mar 2012
- Manifestations - VIII: 75 Artists, 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
22 Nov 2012 to 29 Dec 2012
2013
- Naked and the Nude: The Body in Indian Modern Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
02 Feb 2013 to 23 Mar 2013
- Manifestations X: 75 Artists, 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2014
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), Mumbai, India
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
- Indian Divine: Gods & Goddesses in 19th & 20th Century, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2015
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New York, USA
2020
- The Fifties Show,Works of Indian Modernism, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi
2021
- The Interiority in Indian Art, DAG, The Claridges, New Delhi, India
12 Apr 2021 to 04 Aug 2021
2025
- Deconstructed Realms, India's Tryst with Cubism, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
08 Feb 2025 to 05 Apr 2025
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Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). Sunil Madhav Sen, 1980 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882728
1957
- Artistry House, Kolkata, India
1961
- Hofstra College, New York, USA
1963
- Gallery Everest, Kolkata, India
- Gallery Chemould, Mumbai, India
1980
02 Sep 1980 to 14 Sep 1980
1993
- Retrospective, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). Sunil Madhav Sen, 1980 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue | 00882728
1973
- Annual Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
06 Feb 1973 to 18 Feb 1973
1977
- Exhibition of Contemporary Art, Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata, India
09 Jan 1977 to 30 Jan 1977
1998
- Symbolism and Geometry in Indian Art, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi, India
2001
07 Aug 2001 to 14 Aug 2001
2003
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
29 Nov 2003 to 13 Dec 2003
- Manifestations: Indian Art in 20th Century, from the DAG collection, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery at World Trade Center, Mumbai, India
12 Nov 2003 to 19 Nov 2003
2004
- The Underlying Spirit, The Inaugural Exhibition from the Osian's Archive Collection, Curated by Neville Tuli, Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
09 Nov 2004 to 18 Nov 2004
- Manifestations II: Indian Art in 20th Century, 100 Artists from the DAG Collection, Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai, India
25 Jul 2004 to 31 Jul 2004
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
09 Aug 2004 to 21 Aug 2004
2005
- Manifestations III: 100 Artists, from the Delhi Art Gallery Collection, Nehru Center, Mumbai, India
06 Apr 2005 to 12 Apr 2005
- Revisualising India, From The Osian's Archive & Library Collection, Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
16 Aug 2005 to 02 Sep 2005
- Lalit Kala Akademi, Rabindra Bhavan, New Delhi, India
22 Apr 2005 to 27 Apr 2005
- Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
30 Apr 2005 to 14 May 2005
- Bengal and Beyond: The Evolution of Bengal Art, Presented by Art & Soul, Curated by Siddharth Tagore, at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, India
01 Oct 2005 to 07 Oct 2005
2007
- Still-Life: Adaptations in 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
09 Dec 2007 to 10 Jan 2008
2011
- Manifestations V: 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
18 Apr 2011 to 18 Jun 2011
2012
- Printed Pictures: Four Centuries of Indian Printmaking, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
13 Oct 2012 to 03 Nov 2012
- Manifestations - VII: 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
26 Mar 2012 to 31 Jul 2012
25 Jan 2012 to 17 Mar 2012
- Manifestations - VIII: 75 Artists, 20th Century Indian Art, Organised by Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
22 Nov 2012 to 29 Dec 2012
2013
- Naked and the Nude: The Body in Indian Modern Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
02 Feb 2013 to 23 Mar 2013
- Manifestations X: 75 Artists, 20th Century Indian Art, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2014
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), Mumbai, India
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
- Indian Divine: Gods & Goddesses in 19th & 20th Century, Delhi Art Gallery, New Delhi, India
2015
- Indian Abstracts, An Absence Of Form, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New York, USA
2020
- The Fifties Show,Works of Indian Modernism, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi
2021
- The Interiority in Indian Art, DAG, The Claridges, New Delhi, India
12 Apr 2021 to 04 Aug 2021
2025
- Deconstructed Realms, India's Tryst with Cubism, Delhi Art Gallery (DAG), New Delhi, India
08 Feb 2025 to 05 Apr 2025
1 / 3
DAG (Organiser). Changing Images, 2001 | Group Exhibition Catalogue | 00883502
Chronicled Highlights
5 entries
1910Born
Sunil Madhav Sen
Sunil Madhav Sen was born in 1910 in Purulia, West Bengal, India.
Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). Untitled. Gouache on paper, mid 1950s | Painting | FineArts | 00562540
In 2007, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Untitled (1955), offered in the The Masterpieces & ABC Series: Includes Indian Modern & Contemporary Art Books, Popular Culture & Pakistani Film Posters by Osian's, which concluded on 27 July 2007 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹9,00,000 ($22,233). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). Musician. Mixed media on paper, 1960 | Painting | FineArts | 00600810
In 2004, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of Musician (1960), offered in the The Masterpieces & Museum Quality Series: Indian Contemporary Art – Books, Paintings & Sculpture by Osian's, which concluded on 15 October 2004 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹1,61,068 ($3,512). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). Shiva & Parvati. Watercolour and ink, early 1970s | Painting | FineArts | 00371637
My contention is that Sunil Madhav Sen always found a special pleasure in delineating human figures - even when he painted gods and goddesses (Durga, Krishna, Radha, Jagannath, Balaram, Ganesh, Siv, etc.). He is admittedly a religious person and he has painted almost the whole gamut of the Hindu pantheon. But we should not try to establish a casual relationship between his being a religious person and the so-called religious character of his subjects. To my mind Sunil Madhav is primarily interested in the immense possibilities of human anatomy, its strength and grandeur, its verve and vigour.
Sen, Sunil Madhav (Artist). A Joy Full Mood. Oil on paper pasted on cardboard, late 1970s | Painting | 00881812
In 2006, the artist achieved a new high in the auction market with the sale of A Joy Full Mood (1979), offered in the Historical Series III by Osian's, which concluded on 24 November 2006 at New Delhi, achieving a sale price of ₹6,30,000 ($14,041). This record marked a defining moment in the artist's market history, reflecting both the significance of the artwork and its reception within the broader art world.
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Sotheby's (Auction House). Indian and Southeast Asian Art. 19 September 1996, New York | Auction Catalogue | EconomicsArt | 00861847
On 19 September 1996, Sunil Madhav Sen made their debut in the Indian public auction market when Untitled (Double-Sided Composition) was presented as Lot 459 in Indian and Southeast Asian Art, conducted by Sotheby's in New York, USA. This auction marked the artist's first recorded appearance in the public auction market, establishing the earliest chapter of their auction history.
Economics of Art
Currency
This section showcases auction lots that achieved record-high sale prices, tracked by the date each record was set based on the artist's historical auction data.
Record-high lots4
Public Auction Market (1987–2026) | Select Indicators
Currency
Annual Auction Sale Turnover
This indicator tracks the Total Annual Auction Sales value of Sunil Madhav Sen’s artworks, beginning in 1987 through to the present.
It aggregates all sales across global auction houses into yearly totals.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The turnover graph highlights periods of strong growth, moments of market correction, and resilience during downturns. Peaks often align with landmark works coming to public auction, while troughs may indicate reduced supply or weaker demand. Over time, the curve illustrates the overall trajectory of Sunil Madhav Sen’s public auction market presence.
It aggregates all sales across global auction houses into yearly totals.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The turnover graph highlights periods of strong growth, moments of market correction, and resilience during downturns. Peaks often align with landmark works coming to public auction, while troughs may indicate reduced supply or weaker demand. Over time, the curve illustrates the overall trajectory of Sunil Madhav Sen’s public auction market presence.
Average Sale Price Per Lot
This measure calculates the Average Sale Price of all lots by Sunil Madhav Sen sold each year.
It smooths out fluctuations caused by the quantity of works offered and focuses on the Average Sale Price level per artwork.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
Rising average sale prices indicate growing collector confidence and a stronger willingness to pay higher amounts per work. Assuming the mix of mediums remains relatively stable over time, the proportion of works on paper typically priced lower than works on canvas adds important context to understanding these market movements.
It smooths out fluctuations caused by the quantity of works offered and focuses on the Average Sale Price level per artwork.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
Rising average sale prices indicate growing collector confidence and a stronger willingness to pay higher amounts per work. Assuming the mix of mediums remains relatively stable over time, the proportion of works on paper typically priced lower than works on canvas adds important context to understanding these market movements.
Square Inch Rate Trend
The Square Inch Rate normalizes prices by the size of each artwork, showing the average sale value per square inch over time.
This allows fair comparisons between smaller works and larger canvases.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The Square Inch Rate shown in the graph combines various medium types such as canvas, paper, board, and others. Historically, works on canvas and board have broadly commanded higher prices compared to works on paper.
This allows fair comparisons between smaller works and larger canvases.
Analysis reflected in the chart:
The Square Inch Rate shown in the graph combines various medium types such as canvas, paper, board, and others. Historically, works on canvas and board have broadly commanded higher prices compared to works on paper.
1945
- His oils painting 'Suspense', in post-Impressionist style, won him the coveted Academy of Fine Arts Award
Research Centre
Posts 1
- Tuli Research Centre for India Studies presents All Living Souls - Expressed in the Modern and Contemporary Fine & Popular Indian Arts Curated by Neville Tuli As part of launching the 16th Research Category for India Studies - "The Animal-Human-Nature-Continuum" we present a fascinating exhibition of modern and contemporary Indian fine and popular arts and their expression of the ideas and forms related to the dialogue between animals and humans, and the larger cosmic and spiritual thoughts which abide therein. Please visit the Exhibition and see the artworks by modern and contemporary masters such as Rabindranath Tagore, D.P. Roy Chowdhury, M.F. Husain, J. Swaminathan, J. Sultan Ali, Somnath Hore, Ganesh Pyne, Manjit Bawa, K. Laxma Goud, Krishna Reddy, Jyoti Bhatt, Rekha Rodwittiya, Amit Ambalal, among others, along with vintage and rare prints from the pioneering Indian chromolithographic presses such as Chitrashala, Ravi Varma, Calcutta Art Studio, Chore Bagan & Kansaripara.
Related
29
Personalities
18
Institutions
8
