Late G.S. Sohan Singh Artist (1914 - 1999) G.S. Sohan Singh was born in August 1914, in the house of Bhai Gian Singh, the Famous Fresco-Artist of the Golden Temple, Amritsar. He had his schooling upto the Middle Standard in the Government High School, Amritsar. Later he was apprenticed with the well-known Artist S. Hari Singh who had at that time been working in the famous Elphinston Theatrical Company, Calcutta. Later, in about 1931-32 on the winding up of the company, the master and the pupil both came back to Amritsar. The Artist’s father had by that time retired from his service in the Golden Temple, and both father and son started painting religious themes, preparing charts for students as well as framing pictures.The first multi-coloured design that was got printed and marketed by the Artist in 1932 was that of the un-daunted hero Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (Sikh Warrior). Encouraged by its popularity, the Artist prepared about three new designs every year, got their blocks prepared at Lahore, printed them and marketed them. After the death of Artist’s mother (1951) and father (30-09-1953) however, with the selfless help and guidance of P. Verma, it was possible to publish the book “Gian Chitravali” by name in 1956, as a commemoration to the Artist’s late father. This afforded the Artist an opportunity of gaining proficiency in the block line. This technique has been passed on by him to his son S. Surinder Singh, who ranks among experts in line blocks, Monochrome and Tri-colour Halftone blocks, Photography etc. The Artist, since 1931 tackled multifarious subjects in the Art field e.g. Calendar designs, Oil and Water colour paintings, Commercial Labels, Book Jackets designs, subject illustrations designs, Newspaper Adv.Designs apart from very fine themes in the old Kangra Style, Pahari and Mughal Styles, Landscape painting, Indian Monuments, Portraits and Imaginative subjects. as well as in the techniques connected with the Sikh School of Painting founded by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He has in his credit dozens of gold and silver medals, cash prizes as well as commendation certificates as won by him in a number of Art Exhibitions held from time to time through out the Country. For a number of years, he continued as a member and a life member of governing body of The Indian Academy of Fine Arts and acted as a judge for the grant of awards on selected exhibits.He was running a regular studio, which is now situated at 27-Braham Buta Market, near Sarai Guru Ram Dass, Amritsar (Punjab), INDIA. The Artist has got three sons and two daughters. His eldest son S. Surinder Singh is a Block Engineer and Graphic Artist, his youngest son S. Satpal Singh “Danish” follows in the footsteps of his father in the Art line. The third generation-his grandsons are S. Harpreet Pal Singh(M.Com) and S. Hardeep Singh(M.Sc.) have been preserving his Artwork and running the website www.art-heritage.com. The Artist has published the following books: (1) Gian Chitravali (2) Amritsar - The Sacred City of the Sikhs (on the Gurudwaras and Temples of Amritsar) (3)Holy Places of Pilgrimage (also on the Gurudwaras) (4)Revealing the Art of G.S. Sohan Singh The Artist breathed his last on 28-02-1999 at the ripe age of 84 years
Late G.S. Sohan Singh Artist (1914 - 1999)
G.S. Sohan Singh was born in August 1914, in the house of Bhai Gian Singh, the Famous Fresco-Artist of the Golden Temple, Amritsar. He had his schooling upto the Middle Standard in the Government High School, Amritsar. Later he was apprenticed with the well-known Artist S. Hari Singh who had at that time been working in the famous Elphinston Theatrical Company, Calcutta. Later, in about 1931-32 on the winding up of the company, the master and the pupil both came back to Amritsar. The Artist’s father had by that time retired from his service in the Golden Temple, and both father and son started painting religious themes, preparing charts for students as well as framing pictures.The first multi-coloured design that was got printed and marketed by the Artist in 1932 was that of the un-daunted hero Baba Banda Singh Bahadur (Sikh Warrior). Encouraged by its popularity, the Artist prepared about three new designs every year, got their blocks prepared at Lahore, printed them and marketed them. After the death of Artist’s mother (1951) and father (30-09-1953) however, with the selfless help and guidance of P. Verma, it was possible to publish the book “Gian Chitravali” by name in 1956, as a commemoration to the Artist’s late father. This afforded the Artist an opportunity of gaining proficiency in the block line. This technique has been passed on by him to his son S. Surinder Singh, who ranks among experts in line blocks, Monochrome and Tri-colour Halftone blocks, Photography etc. The Artist, since 1931 tackled multifarious subjects in the Art field e.g. Calendar designs, Oil and Water colour paintings, Commercial Labels, Book Jackets designs, subject illustrations designs, Newspaper Adv.Designs apart from very fine themes in the old Kangra Style, Pahari and Mughal Styles, Landscape painting, Indian Monuments, Portraits and Imaginative subjects. as well as in the techniques connected with the Sikh School of Painting founded by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He has in his credit dozens of gold and silver medals, cash prizes as well as commendation certificates as won by him in a number of Art Exhibitions held from time to time through out the Country. For a number of years, he continued as a member and a life member of governing body of The Indian Academy of Fine Arts and acted as a judge for the grant of awards on selected exhibits.He was running a regular studio, which is now situated at 27-Braham Buta Market, near Sarai Guru Ram Dass, Amritsar (Punjab), INDIA. The Artist has got three sons and two daughters. His eldest son S. Surinder Singh is a Block Engineer and Graphic Artist, his youngest son S. Satpal Singh “Danish” follows in the footsteps of his father in the Art line. The third generation-his grandsons are S. Harpreet Pal Singh(M.Com) and S. Hardeep Singh(M.Sc.) have been preserving his Artwork and running the website www.art-heritage.com. The Artist has published the following books: (1) Gian Chitravali (2) Amritsar - The Sacred City of the Sikhs (on the Gurudwaras and Temples of Amritsar) (3)Holy Places of Pilgrimage (also on the Gurudwaras) (4)Revealing the Art of G.S. Sohan Singh The Artist breathed his last on 28-02-1999 at the ripe age of 84 years
