About BG Sharma
B.G. Sharma is recognized as the foremost living painter of Indian miniatures. Famous throughout India for his originality in composition, design, and ornamentation, he has influenced and inspired many other artists on the subcontinent. While Sharma is accomplished in the traditional schools of Kangra, Kishangarh, and Mughal painting, he has developed a unique style that has contributed significantly to both traditional and contemporary Indian art.
At 72, Sharma still paints eight to ten hours a day in his Udaipur studio. From meticulously detailed miniature ivory paintings to mural-size cotton pachhvai paintings, he has set an unparalleled standard of style and excellence. A delicate 4" x 5" ivory may take from two to six months to paint, and a wall-size 8' x 4' pachhvai painting may take a year or more.
Born on August 10, 1925 to a brahmin family in the sacred town of Nathadwara, Rajasthan, B.G. Sharma was initiated into the art of miniature painting by his father and grandfather. His grandfather was a court artisan of Maharaja Bhopal Singh, the King of Udaipur. Life in Nathadwara centers around the 400-year-old temple of Shrinathji, one of the most sacred Hindu temples in India. The frequent temple festivals engage many of the local residents, including the large artist community. From a young age, Sharma would often take the five-minute walk from his house to have darshan, audience, of the Shrinathji deity, a childhood form of Lord Krishna. From the terrace of his house, Sharma could see the temple flags, which inspired his devotional artistry and left a lasting impression on both his life and his art.
At the age of 5, Sharma started painting under the guidance of his grandfather, Shri Laladharji. He was given a board of teak wood about 1' x 2' and was shown how to make a drawing surface by applying a thin layer of yellow clay. His first chalk sketch was a drawing of Ganesha, the Hindu deity petitioned for clearing obstacles in one’s path.
At age 11, Sharma began making portraits in the marketplace of the many pilgrims and devotees who came to have a darshan of Shrinathji. Gradually, he became the most popular portrait artist in the Nathadwara art community. He later attended the J. J. School of Art in Bombay and was soon recognized by the director for his originality and composition.
Although Sharma mastered the Kishangarh, Kangra, and Mughal painting styles, he did not adopt them. Rather, he kept painting the way his grandfather taught him, in the Nathadwara style. As his fame increased, this style became widely known in India as the "B.G. Sharma style" of painting.
In 1955, Sharma established an office for Sharma Publications in Bombay, where his paintings were eventually mass produced in prints and posters and distributed all over India. He soon became the most sought after calendar artist in India and was published by many of the largest publishing houses.
He retired from commercial painting in 1967 and settled in Udaipur. Sharma’s reputation attracted many interviews from Indian magazines, such as India Today, Dharmayug, Illustrated Weekly, and Centinur. He has also appeared in many radio and television interviews promoting classical art. Sharma’s art was included in an award-winning art book entitled The Cow Book. Author Marc Gallant collected paintings of cows from 25 international artists, selecting Sharma’s paintings as the best of India. Atlantic Insight magazine featured his paintings in their article on the book.
In 1979, his paintings were exhibited in the Jehangar Art Gallery in Bombay and at Rabindra Bhavan in Delhi. In 1980, his paintings were exhibited at India House in London, and Sharma was interviewed by the BBC. In 1983, Sharma’s paintings were exhibited in the Museum of Baroda. Later that same year, Rajiv Gandhi officially opened an exhibition featuring Sharma’s work at Ananda Bhavan in Udaipur.
In December 1980, the Indian government requested Sharma to paint a miniature portrait on ivory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, which he presented to Prince Charles during a visit to Jaipura. This painting was published a few months later in Connoisseur magazine in London. The Prime Minister of Australia, Sir Malcom Frazer, was also presented with a beautiful ivory miniature during his visit to Udaipur in 1983.
Over the years, B.G. Sharma has received numerous awards. In 1983 he was awarded the prestigious National Art Award for Master Craftsman by the President of India, Gyani Zail Singh. In 1984, he was selected for a fellowship in the field of miniature paintings by the Ministry of Education and Culture in New Delhi.
The Indian government sent B.G. Sharma to Germany in the spring of 1985 for the promotion of traditional Indian art. During the promotion, he toured 18 cities. Later that same year, Sharma was selected by the Indian government to visit Washington, D.C., representing the tradition at the Aditi Celebration of Life program. At the inauguration, Sharma presented miniature ivory portraits to President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. By the late 1980s, B.G. Sharma’s paintings could be found in important art collections in England, Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.
Over the past 20 years, B.G. Sharma has worked full time to establish an art gallery of his paintings in Udaipur. Dignitaries from India and abroad, as well as tourists from around the world, come to visit B.G. Sharma’s gallery and marvel at the beauty and craftsmanship of his work. More than 150 paintings are exhibited in the gallery.
Amidst all of his fame, Sharma remains simple and unassuming. He rises early in the morning and paints most of the daylight hours. He still dresses in traditional dhoti and kurta, maintains a strict vegetarian diet, and visits his hometown of Nathadwara and the deity of Shrinathji regularly.
Shri B.G. Sharmaji has done more to popularize classical Indian and Nathadwara styles of art than anyone in recent times. We are pleased to present this first comprehensive edition of his paintings.