Mian Ram Singh of Jammu in Love

Nainsukh of Guler was the youngest son of the master painter Pandit Seu of the Pahari style of art. He was patronized by Balwant Singh of Jasrota, a small state of Jammu where there was no tradition of painting before the arrival of Nainsukh. Nainsukh's command over layering and how he brings depth and dimension using an intelligent use of layering of varying color density. Keeping the painting in a flat format, typical of miniature painting, emphasizes detail and composition, and not realism. Nainsukh's style has much to do with Mughal influence before the importation of artists from Delhi into the hills of the Punjab in 1739 following the invasion by Nader Shah. Unlike the brightly-coloured, intense style that dominated the Basohli atelier in the late seventeenth century, his paintings have a muted colour palette and naturalistic rendering of human figures, especially in his depiction of faces and skin colour. This work is a reflection of the great influence that Nainsukh had on the Pahari style, which remains captivating to art lovers even today due to its exquisite beauty and emotional impact. Mian Ram Singh was the youngest son of Balwant Singh of Jasrota. The painting depicts him sitting in a white Jama smoking his hukka. He awaits for the results of the efforts of teh Sakhi who earnestly coaxes the obdurated Nayaka seen in the left site of the painting. This painting is from the miniature painting collection of Lahore Museum.