One of the greats of Indian art, Francis Newton Souza, born in 1924 in Saligao (Goa). Of his contemporaries Souza was amongst first who attained international acclaim. He strongly believed in living life as he wanted and was expelled from the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai for participating in the Quit India Movement. Together with S.H. Raza, M.F Husain, K.H. Ara, and others, he founded the Progressive Artist's Movement in 1947.

Souza's graphic style and thought provoking images cover a spectrum of subjects from still life, landscape, nudes and icons of Christianity. Souza's paintings portray his perspective on life and his defiance and impatience with convention. His works reflect the influence of various schools of art: the folk art of his native Goa, the full-blooded paintings of the Renaissance, the religious fervour of the Catholic Church, the landscapes of the 18th and 19th century Europe and the path-breaking paintings of the moderns.

His works were exhibited at the Gallery Creuze, Paris in 1954, at Arts 38, in London, in 1975 and 1976, and at the Bose Pacia Modern, in New York, in 1998.

He received the Guggenheim International Award.