Omkareshwar

Having trained as a mathematician and scientist, H.A. Gade joined the Nagpur University of Art where he met fellow artist and lifelong friend, S.H. Raza. Preoccupied by the depiction of houses, Gade's works employed his scientific background to create structured, geometrical landscapes - recalling the works of the cubist masters before him. In 1948, Gade was awarded a silver medal by the Bombay Art Society for a rendition of the town - Omkareshwar. Speaking on this painting, he said 'The landscape thrilled me and I was moved as never before. The imagery was unbelievably different and I found the colours strange and unique. I painted eagerly and stopped only to look at the finished work.' (Yashodhara Dalmia, The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 2001, p. 174)
'Omkareshwar' along with Udaipur and Nasik featured repeatedly as a subject in his paintings, the artist constantly reworking his landscapes through the use of color, texture and form. One of the founding members of the Progressive Artists Group along with Souza, Husain, KH Ara, SH Raza and Bakre, Gade ultimately became the secretary for the group until it was dissolved in 1954. He was also one of the founding members of the Bombay Group, which included KK Hebbar and Bal Chhabda.