A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c15.s4: Section IV. Kāngrā
A History of Fine Art in India and Ceylon, from the Earliest Times to the Present Day c15.s4
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Section IV. Kāngrā
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The fort of Kāṅgrā, or Nagarkōt, to the north of the Panjāb, renowned for centuries as one of the most nearly impregnable strongholds of India, but reduced to a mass of ruins by the earthquake of 1905, guarded the capital of a small Hill State, governed by independent Hindu Rājās for many ages until 1621, when it
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F<sc>ig</sc>. 222. Rāmdayāl, &c., goldsmiths of Kāṅgrā, at work (black and white).
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fell before the arms of the Emperor Jahāngīr.¹ In the secluded and beautiful valley of Kāṅgrā a distinct school of painters has survived to this day, representing ancient Hindu tradition grafted on the technique of the Mughal or Indo-Persian school. The works of the local artists are so numerous that two hundred and fifty examples were shown at the Delhi Exhibition of 1902–3. A considerable collection is preserved in the Central Museum, Lahore, from which my illustrations are taken.
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¹ The effects of the earthquake are described with numerous illustrations by Dr. Vogel in *Ann. Rep. Arch. S., India*, for 1905–6, pp. 11–27. A fine lithograph of the Kāṅgrā Fort is in the Honourable C. S. Hardinge’s *Recollections of India*, London, 1847. Restoration work is in progress (1910).
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The subjects, both religious and secular, are varied. The kindness of Mr. G. Wathen, Curator of the Lahore Museum, has supplied me with photographs of seven works selected by him as the best, and coloured sketches of the same prepared by Mrs. Wathen indicate the effect of the originals. A detailed list of the seven pictures is given in the note at the end of this section. The forest scene is not a success, the monkeys being ridiculous, and curiously like the illustrations of the advertisements of a well-known brand of soap. The portrait of the European officer is an ill-drawn failure, and that of the Mahārājā is stiff and poorly executed.
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FIG. 223. Snake-charmer, by Kapūr Singh of Amritsar (ochre-coloured garments).
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The oldest picture is that of the string of seven camels laden with tents and other baggage, which probably dates from the eighteenth century, and is good. In my judgement the best of the set is the black-and-white drawing of five Kāngrā goldsmiths or *sunārs* at work, two of whom are shown using the primitive blowpipe commonly employed in Eastern lands. Dr. Coomaraswamy praises this work as ‘full of close observation and curiously modern in effect’. The first clause of the criticism is just, but the second has not much force, as the drawing does not seem to be very old (Fig. 222).¹ The realistic portraits of the snake-charmer (Fig. 223) and the Jogī (Fig. 224) also are excellent. Both are the work of Kapūr Singh, an artist resident at Amritsar, outside the Kāngrā District. They are said to be only about thirty years old, and thus afford proof that until a very recent time artistic skill of considerable excellence still existed. Mr. Wathen informs me that the paintings now executed are of very poor quality. Presumably, if adequate patronage were available, the indigenous capacity could be stimulated and work equal to the old produced. Dr. Coomaraswamy mentions ‘a mauve iris, drawn with a faithfulness and grace which recall a Ruskin flower or leaf study'¹; and Mr. C. H. Read's fine collection includes a replica of the subject, also capitally executed, which may be assigned to the Kāngrā school. I do not know of any other example of the school in European collections.²
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¹ ‘The Present State of Indian Art’ (*Modern Review*, Allahabad, July, 1907).
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¹ 'The Present State of Indian Art' (*Modern Review*, Allahabad, July, 1907).
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² The set sent by Mr. Wathen comprises:—
1. Forest scene showing Rāma, Sītā, and Lachhman, with monkeys in attendance, and the snowy range of the Himalayas in the distance. The tree in the foreground is good. Colours moderately bright.
2. Black-and-white drawing of Rāmdayāl, &c., goldsmiths.
3. An English officer, supposed to be Sir Hector Barnes, about 1850, seated on a chair.
4. The snake-charmer.
5. The Kanphata Jogī.
6. Mahārājā Jagat Singh of Ambar (Jaipur), who came to the throne in 1803. It is not certain that this is Kāngrā work.
7. String of seven baggage camels (three photographs), appropriately coloured.
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[Figure: FIG. 224. A Kanphata ('split-ear') Jogī, or Muhammadan fakir, by Kapūr Singh of Amritsar (black robe, yellow head-dress with peacock feathers).]