Abanindranath Tagore was a prominent Indian artist and member of the distinguished Tagore family. He was one of the founders of the Bengal school of art, which aimed to modernize traditional Indian art styles like Mughal and Rajput paintings in response to growing Western influence. Tagore developed an interest in art as a student and was influenced by Mughal styles, incorporating them into his paintings of Hindu themes. He believed in adapting Indian artistic traditions to express Hindu philosophy and promote Indian national culture. Tagore taught many other influential Indian artists and is regarded as a pioneer in the development of a distinctive Indian painting style.