Purkhu

Purkhu, also spelt as Purkhoo or Parkhu, and also known as Purkhu of Kangra, was a Pahari painter who specialized in the Kangra-style. He painted both courtly and religious themes.

Biography and works

Purkhu was the son of Dhummun. Purkhu was likely the head chitrera of a courtly atelier based out of Kangra State during the reign of Sansar Chand. In his works, he documented both the public and private lives of his patron.
Purkhu also produced a series of religious art works based upon the Harivamsa, Shiva Purana, Ramayana, Gita Govinda, and Kedara Kalpa.
Purkhu's disciple was Basharat Ullah.

Style

When comparing the works of earlier Pahari artists belonging to the first generation after Nainsukh and Manaku, which are characterized as "dreamlike" and "lyrical", Purkhu's on the other hand are "journalistic". In Purkhu's works, individual facial features depicted do not seem individual, however closer examination reveals subtle differences. The landscapes in his paintings have been described as "more mannered" when compared to the earlier Pahari artists.

Legacy

Some of Purkhu's paintings were exhibited at the Lahore Exhibition of 1864, where they were praised for their "remarkable clearness of tone and delicacy of handling" and got a special mention in the Jury's Report on Fine Art items.