Kehar Singh (1820–1882[1]) was a Sikh artist who was employed as a court painter by the Sikh states of Lahore and Kapurthala.[note 1][2]: xxi Baba Kehar Singh Musawar was a prominent artist of the Sikh Naqqashi school of art and helped innovate it.[3][4] The art of frescoes was introduced by the artist Bhai Kehar Singh Musawar under the patronage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh during the era of the Sikh Empire.[5][6][4]
Baba Kehar Singh Musawar | |
|---|---|
 Self-portrait | |
| Born | 1820 |
| Died | 1882 |
| Style | Sikh School |
Work
editAccording to a tale narrated by K. C. Aryan, Kehar Singh found employment as a court painter of Ranjit Singh after he painted a dead sparrow and convinced a sweeper of the Lahore court to place it on the throne of Ranjit Singh.[7][8] The feat worked and Kehar Singh was hired as a court painter.[7][8]
Kehar Singh was responsible for decorating the interiors of Ranjit Singh's Lahori palace with frescoes.[9] After Ranjit Singh witnessed the fine artwork of Kehar Singh, he decided to commission him for beautifying the Golden Temple shrine in Amritsar to embellish it with mural work (such as the domes, walls, and roofs).[9][10] Kehar Singh also worked at decorating the Akal Takht complex.[10] He also worked on adornment work.[11] He was one of the most important of the court painters of Ranjit Singh.[12] He was influenced by European-styles of watercolour, print, photography, and oil painting.[13][14] Him and his family specialized in mussawir (painters of miniatures).[15]
Family
editKehar Singh was of Ramgarhia origin.[2]: 52 The Naqqash artists often were linked to each-other by family bonds, an example being the household of Kehar Singh.[12] Kehar Singh had two nephews named Bishan Singh and Kishan Singh, whom were accomplished artists in their own right.[16][10]
Kehar Singh is credited with establishing a school of naqqashes in Punjab.[10] Most of the prominent Sikh artists of 19th and early 20th century Punjab could be traced back to the lineage of Kehar Singh, whether through blood or mentorship.[10] His lineage specialized in murals and other forms of pictorial artwork.[10]
Style
edit.jpg)
Kehar Singh is distinguishable from other contemporary painters as he painted common-folk going about their daily-lives and occupations, even recording the names of the persons he portrayed, where-as other contemporary painters focused on portraying courtly settings and noble individuals.[13] Kehar Singh was influenced by the breakdown of central Sikh authority and the introduction of European manners of artwork and photography, leading to the rise of the Company School.[17] B. N. Goswamy distinguishes the works of Kehar Singh from that of the Bazaar School, as they are more "more serious, more aware of quality".[17] Attention to detail can be seen in the facial expressions of the figures portrayed in his paintings.[18] To suit English tastes, Kehar Singh began producing artwork using translucent wash, which is unalike the opaque watercolor used in traditional Indian painting.[19] As to Kehar Singh's work, there was European influence on the effects of light and shade in his art pieces.[12] He is believed to have been the first to introduce avian (bird) designs to the Sikh frescoes.[11] There are examples of Kehar Singh portraying himself in his paintings, as a form of self-portraiture.[18] One self-portrait depicts him seated on a mat whilst leaned against a bolster, with a board on his lap and a large, open wooden-box with his painting materials before him.[14] Many real-life locations are depicted in his extant paintings, such as the Naulakha Pavilion of the Lahore Fort.[18] When portraying a particular societal grouping, such as an occupation or caste, Kehar Singh portrayed actual living, breathing individuals rather than creating generalized depictions.[17]
Collection
editA series of work attributed to Kehar Singh dating to circa 1875 are kept in the collection of the Government Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh.[17]
Gallery
edit-
'A Couple Carrying Water Pitchers', by Kehar Singh, Punjab, circa 19th century -
Nihang and Nihangni, by Kehar Singh -
'Maharaja Sher Singh on Horseback' by Keher Singh, ca.1842–46 -
Maharaja Sher Singh & Courtiers in Naulakha Pavilion, Lahore Fort with river Ravi flowing, by Kehar Singh. A self-portrait of the artist at-work can be seen at the bottom of the frame. -
Painting of the Sikh saint Ajab Singh Nihang by Kehar Singh, ca.1850–75 -
Watercolour sketch of two noblemen of the Punjab seated in discussion, attributed to the artist Kehar Singh, circa 1875 -
'Bawa Lekh Ram' by Keher Singh, ca.1830–40 -
A Sketch of Sardarni Sada Kaur, by Kehar Singh -
Women cooking in tandoor, by Kehar Singh
Notes
edit- ^ His personal name is alternatively spelt as 'Kher' or 'Keher'.
References
edit- ^ Narula, S. S. (1995). Aspects of Punjabi Culture. Department of Development of Punjabi Language, Punjabi University. p. 99.
- ^ a b Srivastava, R. P. (1983). Punjab Painting. Abhinav Publications. ISBN 9788170171744.
- ^ Kaur, Maneet (28 November 2018). "Mohrakashi and the Naqqashes of Harmandir Sahib - Module". Sahapedia. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Sikh Art and Architecture - Paintings". Canadian Sikh Heritage.
- ^ Walia, Varinder (30 August 2007). "He protected Takht podium". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 11 July 2009.
- ^ Walia, Varinder (7 October 2002). "Restoring Takht glory". The Tribune.
- ^ a b Khalid, Kanwal (July–December 2015). "Miniature Painters as Historiographers" (PDF). Journal of the Punjab University Historical Society. 28 (2): 124–132.
- ^ a b Aryan, Krishan Chand (1975). Punjab Painting. Punjab University, Patiala. p. 20.
- ^ a b "Book on city-based artist GS Sohan Singh released". The Tribune. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Mārg̲. Vol. 30. Marg Publications. 1976. p. 56.
- ^ a b Kaur, Maneet (5 December 2018). "Mohrakashi and the Naqqashes of Harmandir Sahib - Overview". Sahapedia.
- ^ a b c Kaur, Sukhandeep; Viranjan, Ram (January–June 2023). "A Historical Overview of Emergence and Development of Sikh Art in Punjab". ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts. 4 (1): 389–402. doi:10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i1.2023.293. eISSN 2582-7472.
- ^ a b Goswamy, Brijinder Nath (10 June 2019). "Art N Soul: The Smell of the Earth". Sahapedia. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ a b Desvergnes, Amélie Couvrat (22 December 2022). "Change of Posture and Materials Among Nineteenth-Century South Asian Painters". Amélie Conservation. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
- ^ Ikeda, Atsushi (24 September 2024). Portraying the Guru: Art, Devotion and Identity in Sikhism. Boydell & Brewer. p. 37. ISBN 9781837652389.
- ^ The Panjab Past and Present. Vol. 23. Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University. 1989. p. 117.
- ^ a b c d Goswamy, Brijinder Nath (27 February 2000). "The Smell of the Earth". The Tribune. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ a b c "Court of Maharaj Sher Singh - Kher Singh". Google Arts and Culture. Fakir Khana Museum. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "Man twisting thread". University of Michigan Museum of Art. Retrieved 10 September 2024.