Self-portrait of the Pahari artist Mola Ram

The Self-portrait of the artist Mola Ram shows Mola Ram, a painter from the Garhwal School of Pahari miniature painting. In this image Mola Ram appears as a man in traditional clothes wearing a turban. Mola Ram has a beard and sits relaxed smoking a hookah. The plain style of this portrait gives it a feel letting the viewer see Mola Ram not just as a painter but also as a person in his daily culture. The composition is vertical. Mola Ram takes up most of the narrow canvas. Mola Ram’s face, beard, clothes and turban are clearly drawn, while a simple courtyard and plants set the background. The hookah brings a touch of leisure hinting at reflection. This simple layout keeps the focus on Mola Ram not on any story. This self-portrait is also important because it gives a visual look at Mola Ram. Wikimedia Commons lists the work as a painting by Mola Ram. Says it was held in Balak Ram’s collection. The picture appeared in Mukandi Lal’s 1968 book Garhwal Painting, a reference for studying the Garhwal School. The painting is small 9 by 5 inches, which is typical, for miniature art. Thus the work has both art value and history linking Mola Ram’s identity to the tradition of Garhwal and offering a record of how this celebrated painter was shown.