Contents
Abdur Rahman Chughtai
Developing a distinctive painting style inspired by Mughal and Persian art.
Muraqqa-i-Chughtai · Chughtai’s Paintings
- Born
- Unknown
- Birthplace
- Lahore, British India
- Died
- 17 January 1975
More people
Abdur Rahman Chughtai
Abdur Rahman Chughtai was a Pakistani painter and printmaker whose flowing lines and carefully composed figures drew on several South Asian artistic traditions. He also designed books, stamps and emblems.
Early life
Craft family
Grew up in a Lahore family of artists, architects and decorators.
Art training
Studied at the Mayo School of Arts and learned decorative painting from his uncle.
Career
- 1910s
Teaching and illustration
Worked as a photographer and drawing teacher before establishing his painting practice.
- 1920
First exhibition
Exhibited with the Punjab Fine Art Society.
- 1930s
Printmaking in London
Developed his etching techniques during visits to Britain.
- 1947 onwards
National recognition
Became a prominent artistic representative of Pakistan.
Selected work
Muraqqa-i-Chughtai
An illustrated edition of Mirza Ghalib’s poetry.
Chughtai’s Paintings
A published collection presenting his visual work.
Postage-stamp designs
Created a set of stamps marking Pakistan’s independence anniversary.
Beyond work
Art collecting
Collected miniatures and other artworks alongside making his own.
Family collaboration
His younger brother Abdullah was a close associate and an Islamic-art scholar.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Grosvenor Gallery artist biography ↗Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.