Jamil Naqsh

Jamil Naqsh (Urdu: جمِیل نقش), (25 December 1939 – 16 May 2019) was a British Pakistani painter who lived a reclusive life in London from 2012 until his death.^[1] He briefly studied at National College of Arts but left before obtaining a degree. His work has been described as idealized and sensual.^[2][3][4]

Jamil Naqsh was born in Kairana, India in 1939, and later moved to Karachi, Pakistan during the partition

.^[1] In his early teens, he had the experience of travelling alone through Chittagong, Calcutta and Colombo. He learned a lot about life during that harsh journey. He also gained a great respect for the art traditions of the past while travelling. This journey's impressions later influenced his thinking and work.^[3]

Naqsh trained as a miniaturist under former National College of Arts professor Ustaad Haji Sharif in Lahore beginning in 1953.^[3][2] He left the National College of Arts without completing his degree as he felt it was the experience not the qualification that was important.^[3] He left Pakistan in 2012 and settled in London, United Kingdom.^[5][6]

On 7 May 2019, due to pneumonia, Naqsh was admitted to St Mary’s Hospital in London,^[7] where he died nine days later at the age of 79.^[2]

Naqsh mostly painted pigeons. He also painted women, often integrating them with the elements of horses, pigeons or children. He grew up seeing pigeons flutter around in his courtyard; thus, much of his work included drawings of pigeons.^[1] He set up his Karachi studio in a rooftop garden where pigeons were allowed to move around freely and were welcomed as visitors.^[3]

Naqsh was influenced by the works of Indian, Pakistani and European masters, including Pablo Picasso and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres.^[8] In June 2012, an untitled piece by Naqsh was sold for about PKR 6.3 million at Bonhams.^[9]

Some of his exhibits are listed below:

• Solo exhibit at Lahore Arts Council and Karachi Arts Council (1962)^[10]
• 150 paintings and drawings of female forms with horses were exhibited (1998)^[3]
• Jamil Naqsh: A Retrospective, Mohatta Palace, Karachi, Pakistan (2003)^[2]
• Solo exhibit at Studio Glass Art Gallery, London (2005)^[2]
• Solo exhibit at Albemarle Gallery in Mayfair, London (2011)^[8]
• Art exhibit in Lahore included 23 canvases and 16 graphite drawings (2012)^[1]
• "Mohenjo Daro" Albemarle Gallery, London (2018)
• Fisher Woman of My Mohenjo-daro at Jamil Naqsh Museum in Karachi, Pakistan (2018)^[11]

Naqsh also painted Islamic calligraphy in his modern style with unique and bold brush strokes. His calligraphic style maintained the basic elements of art, with special emphasis on 'line'.^[3] Since 1996, the Jamil Naqsh Foundation and Museum have been run by his family members in Karachi, Pakistan.^[1][2] In December 2017, the Jamil Naqsh Museum was inaugurated by Aitzaz Ahsan in Defence Housing Authority, Karachi.^[12][13]

• Sitara-i-Imtiaz (Star of Excellence) Award in 2009, from President Asif Ali Zardari^[2][8]
• Pride of Performance Award in 1989, from President Ghulam Ishaq Khan^[2][8]

• Artist biography and works from exhibition in London viewable online
• Jamil Naqsh graphite drawing on cliftonartgallery.com website