175 Years On, Chennai’s Government College of Fine Arts Remains a Crucible of Indian Modernism
Chennai’s Government College of Fine Arts, founded in the 19th century as the Madras School of Arts, stands as one of India’s most consequential art institutions, with a legacy shaped by reform, pedagogy and artistic exchange. From Devi Prasad Roy Choudhury’s formal curriculum to KCS Paniker’s modernist influence, the college helped define generations of artists who carried its imprint into local and international movements.
