Jagdish Swaminathan (b.1928) embodied simplicity in his paintings. He used a striking colour palette with engaging imagery and captured the viewer's attention. Swaminathan decided to become a full-time artist in the late 1950s and, along with a group of other artists, founded Group 1890. He wrote the group's manifesto, which attacked the "vulgar naturalism" of the Bengal School and the "hybrid mannerism" of European Modernism. They preferred that artists see the world in a fresh and untainted light, which is reflected in Swaminathan's works. He experimented with ink, watercolour, gouache, and oils, sometimes even his fingers, which gave him an array of options for exploring his visual language. This also led to his Bird and Mountain series, for which he is remembered.
He studied Painting at the Delhi Polytechnic (1956) and subsequently at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Poland. He was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship (1968-70). He was also the Founder-Director of Roopankar Museum, Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal (1981-90).
Swaminathan passed away in 1994. His works have been showcased in many museums and private collections.