M. A. Rahman Chughtai
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M. A. Rahman Chughtai
A legend remembered
By Marjorie Husain
Every year, on the 17th January, commemorating the death anniversary of Pakistan’s legendary artist M. A. Rahman Chughtai, an exhibition of his work is held at the Chughtai Art Home, in Garden Town, Lahore. On the most recent occasion, the theme of the work was ‘Mothers’, illustrated by twenty-two of Chughtai’s paintings, ravishing watercolours of graceful forms set amongst backgrounds of delicate design and glimpses of landscape. There were also a number of drawings of which the earliest was dated 1918. It was a period in the artist’s life when he was a teacher in the newly established photo-lithography department of the Mayo School of Art, where Lionel Heath was the principal. Looking at the work was like stepping back into history. It was touching to note the care with which the artworks were displayed, particularly the last drawing in sequence executed by Chughtai on the day he died which carried a footnote; “Note the tremulous lines”.
The Chughtai Art Home, Lahore was established and is run by the artist’s only son, Arif Rahman Chughtai, who has dedicated his life to his father’s work and memory. His knowledge of the great artist’s life and times is phenomenal. He records in brochures and catalogues each detail of his father’s existence; every word that is written by others is examined, and in cases of erroneous remarks, acted on. The incidents, happenings, exhibitions, the literary output - for Chughtai was a prolific writer - the people in his life, good times and bad, are all documented for posterity. Appreciation received for the artist’s work is also documented. Arif details an incident in 1922, when Chughtai’s painting; The Passing of Shah Jehan, painted in 1919, was purchased from exhibition by Rana Chandra Shamsher Jung Bahadur, then Prime Minister and Hereditary Ruler of Nepal. The artwork was priced at fifteen hundred rupees, at that time an enormous sum, and Chughtai had suffered considerable criticism, and jealousy for thus pricing his work. The vindication of his talent was never forgotten. Years later, on the artist’s thirtieth death anniversary, a catalogue with details of the artist’s life and work brought out by Arif, was dedicated to Rana Chandra Shamsher Jung Bahadur, “A lover of the arts who sought solace in the art of M.A Chughtai of Lahore.” On that anniversary in 2005, Arif wrote his personal dedication to his father. ‘On January 1975, I made a promise to you. I have kept it for thirty years. Now ready for the next thirty years.’
As custodian of the M.A.Rahman Chughtai archives, Arif Rahman Chughtai maintains with utmost precision and care, each token of his father’s life and work. The artist’s years with the Mayo School of Art, first as student then as teacher are noted. One reads of his encounter with the founders of the Bengal School of Art, while taking further training in photo-lithography at the Calcutta Government Press, and his confidence in his own capabilities. As he is reputed to have said: “Those who have to grow can sprout from stones”. Chughtai was never aligned to the New Bengal School of Art, his son informs us, and it is on record, that he formed a Punjab School, which included artist friends and relatives.
Chughtai’s life, from the material available to us, appears as a fascinating saga. One gleans the impression of a hugely talented, dedicated artist, committed to his muse and constantly working. At the same time, very much a family man who enjoyed his wife’s cooking, flying kites, picnics by the river Ravi, and fishing expeditions. He traveled throughout Europe, taking time out to practice etching at the Central Institute in London. Chughtai was the first Oriental artist to have his work included in the Annual Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy, London, in the 1930s, and he found and relinquished a life-long love.
In one of the publications brought out by Mr.Arif Chughtai recently, there is an article titled: Double Barrel Game and causes of Confusion, in which the author details12 facts on identifying the work of the Master. In another article, he also very interestingly puts on record the fact of the existence of different versions of the same paintings done by the artist himself with the knowledge of the buyers and as a requirement for his proposed Museum. Arif Rahman Chughtai is guardian and custodian of his father’s wishes to preserve his art for posterity. Now he wonders who will carry on in his place. This tragic fact of an artist’s life is a fearful reality. It was one of Bashir Mirza’s fears, and where now would Ahmed Parvez exist without Wahab Jaffer’s collection. This factor sourced Jamil Naqsh’s efforts to permanently house his works for posterity. These are just a few examples of the very real shadow that haunts the artist in his desire to live on in his work.
Chughtai was the one Old Master I never had the privilege of meeting, but I heard many stories from friends, and his work is the most revealing aspect of the man. Anna Molka Ahmed spoke of him warmly as a great encouragement in her efforts to promote art in the country. Not only exhibiting his work in the annual exhibitions she arranged at the Punjab University, but also actively taking part as judge and regularly donating a Gold Medal to the most promising of the younger artists. I thought of these talks while I roamed the gallery, the enigmatic man who left so much behind, a man who cherished and cared for his mother and who poured his feelings into paintings simply titled, ‘Mothers’.
