Husain: A protean maverick, a prolific artist

In an obituary to the iconic Indian artist, The BBC reported: “One of India's most famous artists, MF Husain, has died in hospital in London aged 95 after years of self-imposed exile. He had been unwell for several months.”

Art critic S Kalidas said Mr Husain was painting until two weeks before his death, and led a "full life". "He could paint anywhere - on the streets, in the studio. He was colourful, agile in mind and body. He was a fast thinking and fast painting man. I have never seen anybody paint so fast," he said.

“Maqbool Fida Husain was India's most iconic and prolific artist - and painted right up until two weeks before his death in London at the age of 95.”A New Delhi based writer on art & culture, Sudha G Tilak, wrote in The BBC News essay: “Husain was a protean maverick who embraced the free market, took to making cinema, angered Hindu radicals at home with his provocative work, gamely took leaving India in his stride, accepted Qatari nationality and loved fast cars, including a red Ferrari that he owned.”

"I have expressed only 10% - 90% is still inside. I don't think I will be able to do it, I think I have to take that with me to my grave," he had said in a recent interview. His peers and admirers marveled at the energy of this indefatigable painter - artist Anjolie Ela Menon says he "ran ahead of all of us - he had such energy".

So much so that he declared five years ago that he planned to work on ‘three major projects’: histories of Indian civilization, ‘other civilizations’ and a history of "cinema which is close to my heart".

When his admirers in India got worked up about his self-imposed exile, he calmly told an interviewer: "Nothing is stopping me; I can return tomorrow. But please know I remain an Indian painter whether I am painting in Paris, London, New York or Qatar..."