Bhai Gian Singh Naqqash (1883 - 1953)

Bhai Gian Singh belonged to the line of Naqqashes started by Bhai Kehar Singh, who enjoyed royal patronage under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Bhai Kehar Singh had two nephews, Bhai Kishan Singh and Bhai Bishen Singh, who turned out to be great artists in Fresco-Painting in their time. Bhai Gian Singh was the loyal disciple of these two masters. He severed in the Golden Temple, Amritsar for about 32 years. Bhai Ji introduced a number of innovations in Fresco-Painting.

He was a saintly soul, who believed in quietly, almost un-obstrusively offering his artistic creations at the feet of his Creator – the Supreme artist, and was, in no way, less than a selfless devotee. He was endowed with almost supernatural capabilities, and worked on his delicate subjects without glasses throughout his life.

Bhai Gian Singh’s works, immortalized on the walls, roofs and corridors of The Golden Temple, Amritsar, will go down to posterity as a chaste legacy – at once a tribute to the sublime ideas of the artist, as also an eloquent testimony to the mysterious depths attained in Art.

Due to long association with the Golden Temple, Bhai Ji had developed a philosophical approach towards life, and was well versed in the recitation and interpretation of the verses from the Holy Guru Granth Sahib. A number of books on religious and aesthetic subjects were published by him for the good of general public.