Maqbool Fida Husain (b. 1915)

Husain's paintings of the 1970s were inspired by the scenes of rural India. His canvases from this period deal with the theme of the farmer and his family who formed the backbone of the Indian nation. Geeta Kapur compares Husain's paintings from this phase of his career, with the rural themes of Amrita Sher-Gil's works and states that, 'Husain took Amrita's legacy further towards a more authentic stage. His villagers are not particularly beautiful; but surrounded by their tools, their animals...they appear more truly alive, secure and rooted in their environment.' (Yashodhara Dalmia, The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives, 2001, p. 107).

The present work derives its title from the Green Revolution, a government sponsored program that began in 1967 with the aim of achieving self sufficiency in grain production. This initiative focused attention on the labor and toil of the Indian farmer and elevated him to a symbol of national pride.