Part 1

Part 2

And their Paintings

Self portrait of Kehar Singh-the court painter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh

Giani Gurmukh Singh, Head Priest of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, by Kehar Singh

A juggler with two bears by Kapur Singh

Water carriers

An Oil extractor by Kehar Singh

Women cooking in tandoor by Kehar Singh

A couple Telis extracting Oil - by Kehar Singh

Kapur Singh of Kapurthala, son of Kishan Singh, was a quickwitted man who learnt painting (in western techniques) merely from observation and turned out a good number of paintings in oil in western style. He was also the first photographer in the Punjab

A Duck by Kapur Singh

A Hawk by Kapur Singh

A pandit (astrologer) by Kapur Singh

Bawa (1850?- 1925), whose full name is not known, was the traditional painter in the Punjab, who remained completely uninfluenced by the fast rising wave of westernism, and painted in the true Kangra spirit.

Bishan Singh (1836-1900?). Kishan Singh's brother, Bishan Singh too worked in the same style as his brother. But he devoted his skill entirely to decorating floral motifs on the walls of Golden Temple.

Ishar Singh Mahant (1860-1910?) was the son of Bhai Ram Singh Mussavar, worked in Kangra style and decorated the walls of a great many Hindu temples of Amritsar

Jaimal Singh (1860-1916?) was a traditional Sikh painter-cum muralist. His murals (in Kangra Sikh Style) can be seen in Baba Atal, Amritsar

Malla Ram (1865?-1925) was a bazaar school painter of Amritsar. He specialised in stage painting and was popular in Kapurthala and Amritsar.

Mehtab Singh (1871-1937?) was a desciple of Jaimal Singh and worked in Sikh Style. He adorned the walls of Baba Atal in Amritsar, Baba Bakala and many a Hindu temple with murals

Hari Singh (1894-1970) was born in 1894 at Amritsar in a family which has been famous for building architecture, designing and decoration. After a smattering of education at school he started learning painting. He secured a job with Maiden Theatre, Calcutta, as a scene setting artist, and worked for four years. Hari Singh was one of Malla Ram's desciples. His earlier work reminds of frescoes which can be seen even today on the walls and ceiling of the residences of aristocrats in Italy. It is very unfortunate that there exists no specimen of this type of work done by Hari Singh. The Royal Talkie at Amritsar, where he executed his best work, was set ablaze during the communal riots of 1947. He was an adept in architectural and ornamental lines of painting. His studio was at Tali Sahib, Amritsar. He died in 1970

Portrait of Guru Gobind Singh by Baba Kishan Singh ( see previous page)-the first Sikh painter to work in modified Kangra style, which later came to be known as Sikh Style. His work is significant as it marks thje beginning of Sikh school of painting. Kishan Singh followed the traditional Pahari pattern of portrait painting, but it is marked by a strong provincial character.

Guru Parkash - This large size painting can be seen in Gurdwara Ramsar and is the work of Bishan Singh, Principal of Amritsar School of Arts. The figures of the ten Gurus and their followers are cleverly arranged in this composition

TEN GURUS - This painting done by Puran Singh Mussavar, and a specimen of Sikh School has no special merit. About 16" by 12", painted in bright colours on machine made paper. At present this work is in the collection of Govt. Museum, Chandigarh.