On display: Paintings like poetry

Exhibit of Pahari artwork opens at Lahore Museum

LAHORE:

A collection of 60 miniatures from the Pahari school of miniature painting were put on display at the Lahore Museum on Wednesday. The exhibition has been organised in collaboration with the Lahore Literary Festival.

It was inaugurated by BN Goswami, an art historian from India with extensive research on the Pahari miniature style.

The exhibition is titled Lyircal Lines and Colours: Stories from Punjab Hill States. It has been curated by Uzma Usmani.

Speaking on the occasion, Goswami said he was humbled by the invitation to open the exhibition. He said he had become interested in the style during his PhD studies.

“I wanted to study the society that had imagined these paintings,” he said. He narrated incidents during his research that drew him closer to the art. He also talked about his visit to Bawoli.

“Miniature paintings are like poetry. If you do not appreciate poetry, you cannot understand this,” he said. He urged the visitors to carefully study the work.

Critic FS Aijazzudin also spoke on the occasion. He said Goswamy had the ability to discern and highlight spirituality in art.

He said Goswamy looked beyond what artists created. He said that each school had thrived due to ingenuity of the artists and the support of their patrons.

After decline of patronage by Mughal sovereigns, artists were supported by rulers of the hill states of Punjab, he said.

Salima Hashmi also spoke on the occasion.

The exhibition showcased miniature paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries. Most of the paintings depicted various scenes from Hindu mythology and folklore. Portraits of Rajas and noble personalities of the time were also showcased.

A painting titled Radha and Krishna Embracing depicted the pair in a forest. The colourful painting was done in the Kangra tradition. It was created in 1825.

Paintings from the Pahari school are marked by a rich use of colours. They assume a symbolic meaning, where blue depicts Krishna, the protagonist in most Pahari paintings.

Talking to The Tribune Quddus Mirza, an art critic, said even though the work was old, its attraction was in its thematic diversity. He said they presented themes from Hindu and Buddhist mythology along with regional folklore.

“This is an indicator of our diverse history. Every time you look at these paintings you see something new,” he said. The exhibition will end on March 18.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2016.