WHEN A CHUGHTAI WORK IS IN OUR ARCHIVES,
IN A POSITION TO COMPARE SAME WITH FAKE.

Our archives include many works not in our possession. We are in a position to compare the, with fakes. But many are there with originals. Just one look and literally even a blind person can see the difference between the two. One can tune one’s observation skills to the extent where even one look can tell you same. So just look at some of the examples. Everything is obvious! We have no longer access to some fake, as they have been removed from the internet, for fear of exposure.

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The name of the fake artists one thing, there is a VIP list of those who get fakes made, to boast their collection, or make money out of same. We are not in a position to name such VIPS as they are plenty, and well-known people. The list includes Presidents, Prime Ministers, as well as Governors. Greed touches the heart of such people all the time. Our job is to give information, We are not the people who can execute such drastic orders. Enjoy our information!

ART EXPLORATIONS TEN OF FAKE INDUSTRY OF CHUGHTAI ART, DELHI SCHOOL:
THE INTERNET IS FULL OF CHUGHTAI FAKES, AND IT IS NOT LIKELY THAT TRUTH;
IS NOT KNOWN. IT IS INTEREST OF ART BUSINESS TO CLOSE EYES AS REQUIRED.

The fake industry has many issues. Faking Chughtai is not even possible, but starting from a scratch, people do keep on trying. I receive all sort of enquiries from Delhi School, making a fake, and asking me its pro and cons. I really realize offering to much information to such sources is nothing short of a sin. So, my best advice is to bring the original to me. Without same I am not in a position to make hundred percent sure remote judgement. Stories are spun that it is too far away, binging same not possible at all. But asking ques from me to better their product.

Few things must be kept in mind. Hardly anyone has the capacity to make a new Chughtai drawing and composition. The creativity is really lacking in these people. Now what happens. They get their hands on copies of Murraqqa e Chughtai or Naqash e Chughtai. Many times, Amal e Chughtai is out of their reach. But some has that too. Next problems for them are that they have the image at times in colour but many times in black and white. Then they have no idea of its colour. They have no idea of its size. No idea of how the work is cut. Deliberately at times a torn or mutilated paper is used. They have no idea of the process with which the work is made or processed by the artist. No idea of the handmade paper used by the artist, or the pigment colours. Not familiar with Whatmann or even Winsor and Newton or Japanese Kyoto brushes. I can see all that in seconds myself. That is why I insist on seeing the back side of the work and some have got it pasted it on board to hide their nefarious work.

However, much people try, the feeling of the work cannot be duplicated by them or the luminosity of the work. Faded colours are hallmarks of fake makers. Obviously so much can be said, but the few renarks I have made should open the eyes of both fake makers as well as fake buyers. Get authentication from those who know authentication! Ready to help people from my decades of experience and knowledge.

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HUMAN NATURE IS FOR ORDINARY ARTISTS TO IMITATE MASTERS;
A POSITIVE STEP IS ONLY TO INNOVATE AND LEARN PICTORIAL ART;
ON OTHER HAND, A NEGATIVE STEP IS TO SEEK MARKET FOR SAME.
EXPLORATIONS IN ART LOOKS AT CHUGHTAI FAKE MARKET IN CHINA

Every great Master is copied with time. You name it, copy makers exist for doing same. But many copy to learn and move into innovative techniques. Improving skills is not wrong. Others to make money. Obviously, the ordinary copy makers are no good and are caught in seconds. Exceptional talent preys on people.

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Some remarks from fake Chinese market:

“A so-called Chinese “urban village,” Dafen once produced an estimated 60 percent of all the world’s oil paintings. During its heyday—when the village’s reputation as an art factory rang truer than today—it almost exclusively cranked out copies of paintings in the Western art canon. These canvases found their way into hotel rooms, show homes, and furniture outlets all around the world. Not bad for somewhere that until the late 1980s was a largely overlooked and decidedly rural backwater on the periphery of Shenzhen. “

“Meanwhile, cheaper and more efficient production methods have been developed. Many copies are now first printed onto canvases in high-definition, after which art workers apply just enough paint to make it appear as if they were painted by hand, a process which requires significantly less skill and produces a more consistent result.” 

“The idea of replicating the work of top painters is nothing new. In the time of Rubens, “if you wanted a copy of his beautiful Venus and Mars, you would just contact his studio … and order one,” Bray noted.

“What we’re doing here is just showing that the practice has now moved to China,” he said.

Millions of replicas are produced every year in China for a global and also domestic market, focused around the studios and workshops in the southern village of Dafen.”

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This Chinese market is still a very secretive market as far as Chughtai art is concerned. Mention is made of four possible works. We are giving pictorial of one work. There are others. The funny part is that CHUGHTAI hated the OIL technique. Some pseudo analysts and experts have looked at Chughtai fakes and made conjecture that perhaps Chughtai also did oils in his works. Mere hullabaloo, nothing else. But the Chinese claim that they can also do same in water colour. Is it not time to trust the greatest Chughtai art expert in the world! That is of course me, Arif Rahman Chughtai, son of the artist and Director of Chughtai Museum in Lahore. Chinese have the highest marks in making fakes but there are still give away signs. Ask me!

FINAL WORD IN PICTORIAL EXCELLENCE OF CHUGHTAI ART;
THE FINISHED MASTERPIECES OF ART THAT KEEPS HIM ALIVE.

A lot of people had seen Chughtai art in private sittings, as well as many exhibitions shows in Pakistan and abroad. A lot of images used to appear in magazines and newspapers. But after his death the link was cut off. We restored that link with the inauguration of Chughtai Museum on 17th January, 1976. Followed by various shows and invitations of World experts to Chughtai Museum. A separate talk on this issue is overdue.

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Suffice that the water colour masterpieces are the back bone of Chughtai art. No one has access to originals, as well as sizes of the work. That is why most mistakes are made. Let us first examine a selection of the Master pieces. From then on we will discuss the practical issues involved in this analysis. Enjoy here! Anyone can enjoy with us too!

M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI STUDY OF DIFFERENT HUMAN FACES;
ACCORDING TO PAUL DRURY HIS MIND STORED BANK OF FACES,
FROM WHERE HE COULD DRAW A FACE AT WILL FOR HIS WORK.
SERIES SEVEN IN EXPLORATION OF CHUGHTAI ART, KNOWLEDGE.

A large part of Chughtai’s works is related to study of faces. He has dealt with so many numbers of faces, that one can say his computer type analysis left nothing out. And these are not faces he saw. These are faces he imagined with his creative insight. It is pure refreshment of aesthetic senses to look at these faces. Faces are of all kind, but he rejoiced most in female faces. Given different background of character, he enriched the faces with his own version of clothes and costumes. The characters are from all kinds of races. The region is Asia in its fullest sense. Hindu faces, Muslim faces, Punjabi faces, Sindhi faces, Pathan faces, Bengali faces , and even Buddhist faces. A student can learn a lot from his study of faces. An artist can seek inspiration from them. We exhibit them now and then. Our visitors are tuned to them. As time passes more and more people know about them. Enjoy our heritage! Enjoy our culture.!

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ART REVIEWS ON CHUGHTAI ART STARTED IN 1920;
“FOLIO” AND “RAVI” FIRST TO PRINT WRITINGS ON MARC.
FIRST PAINTING APPEARED IN “MODERN REVIEW” 1917.
URDU MAGAZINES LAHORE CARRIED OWN WRITE-UP THEN.

James Cousin wrote an article on M.A. Rahman Chughtai entitled “The Indian Behzad”, in the famous English magazine Studio from London. Of course, there are so many write ups. Chughtai became nationally famous after 1917, and internationally famous after 1924, with the famous exhibition at Wembley. Reviews on Chughtai prevail all the time. The mood of the reviews differs with source of those writing in same. In any case enjoy same. A rare article not quoted before in literature.

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THE ORIGIN OF ALL CHUGHTAI WORKS IS IN THIS HOUSE,
ALL ART WORKS PRESERVED FOR ADDITIONAL STUDY.
A STUDY OF ODDS AND ENDS REVEAL INTRICACIES OF ART:
PAPER, LINE AND COLOUR IMPORTANT BUT FEELINGS MOST.

Western scholarship is great. A work is studied. An erased work is studied. A work drawn on another work is studied. The morons of our world have no study of anything, except grow imbecile on their flatulence. Emperor Jahangeer once made a statement. He said that he is an expert in looking at pictures. He can tell who painted what and what not? Who painted the eyes, who painted the lips?  And so on. This is observation. When you have not even seen 10 originals in your life time, how can you make a statement about works?

A work by Leonardo da Vinci got sold for 45 million dollars. Scholars are discussing the work., for they have studied the intricacies. Imagine red flags being drawn with world experts on Leonardo da Vinci. Nobody seems to be winning. Without such a study, no one can claim authenticity of a work. M.A. Rahman Chughtai wrote about a number of Fake Mughal works made in Bombay, and he had seen the forgers themselves. But no one willing to accept that.  I have seen more works of Chughtai than anybody alive. I can judge things. I am after all the greatest living expert of Chughtai art. No one can challenge me on this account. When students used to visit Chughtai artist, instead of a mere signature, he would draw a figure for them. Many students of past must be carrying those memories. Then due to customs restrictions, some works were made in Delhi itself. This was to evade restrictions on movements. And then prints were made of those works. Legacy of Delhi’s first gallery Dhoomi Mal Dharam Dass. Many paintings carry seal of Indian customs on their back. This was to ensure coming back of works.

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The Indian Ministry of Culture hosted many experts. But even they get fooled at times. I will quote examples. We are just starting this topic. A lot more is coming. It is time to waken up. It is time to see things. It is time to silent meaningless innuendoes. When you do not know, learn, or Shut up!

P.S.Proof from an ex-museum curator in USA.

—– Original Message —–From: <chughtaimuseumlahore@hotmail.com>To: artguyone <artguyone@rcn.com>Sent: 10/28/2020 4:13:04 PM Subject: Re: Proposal
Very sweet will write tomorrow. There were two partners namely  DhoomiMal and Dharam Dass and had a very old book store in Delhi and were also publishers. First gallery in Delhi I think. I have been to their shop. The gallery of first partner is still there. The second one separated after death. Name is of two owners. Got it Gary

On 28 Oct 2020 11:16 PM, artguyone <artguyone@rcn.com> wrote:
Arif,     Thanks for this great offer, but, I am a retired, ex-museum curator, living on pension—no longer active in art world. my inquiries were based on having many different artists’ pieces in storage and now getting them out; some to sell and favorites to keep awhile longer. I plan to keep 2-3 of those you’ve seen and then, others, Unidentified, probably offer on eBay. I plan NOW, to try to ID those. Once again, I’ll ask : What is the English translation for “Dhoomi Mal Dharam Das”? Due to Your work for me,  I can now tell about your Father with much more accuracy. If I get questions about purchase or related, I would, of course, be happy to refer to you and the Museum. Thanks and Best Wishes,   Gary

FIRST SABOTAGE BY PAKISTANI LOBBY OF AN EXHIBITION FOR GERMANY,
THE FOMENTING DOUBTS OVER YEARS OF EFFORT OF CHUGHTAI MUSEUM.

The Germans were always interested in Chughtai. It started with meeting of Dr Heinrich Luebke, President of Germany, with the artist M.A. Rahman Chughtai, at the Badshahi mosque Lahore. President Luebke was presented two paintings by the artist,. and the President sent his Finance Minister Walter Scheel to the house of the artist, with a gold coin, in recognition of his artistic merit. On 17th January, 1975, on the death of the artist, the then President of West Germany, Walter Scheel, sent condolences on the death of the artist. A request for a State exhibition was sent to the President. Dr Klaus Terfloth, the German Ambassador, took the challenge of arranging such a show. First an exhibition was held at the German Embassy, with an address by the artist’s son on the occasion. It was a remarkable gathering attended mostly by international crowd.

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A couple of Pakistanis infiltrated the show, and a ready to be bought journalist, wrote against the show in a newspaper. Dr Terfloth was badly shaken, and I tried to explain things to him. He lamented, “Why cannot you Pakistani be on the same page at least on the side of culture?” I was hosted at the German Ambassador’s house, but the damage was done. The Show in Bonn did not pick up pace. Although not given up, the Ministry was not in a position to finance the show, and we were not in a position to finance it ourselves. All suggestions failed. Some shameless Pakistanis were happy with the result. It was all in the interest of Pakistan, but these lobbies were anti-Pakistan itself. We stand alone holding steady the Ideology of Pakistan. No one helps us. We are grateful to Allah. We know the laws of Allah are in perpetual motion.

THE FIRST STUDENT AFTER THE DEATH OF M.A. RAHMAN CHUGHTAI,
MS MARCELLA BEDFORD NESOM SIRHINDI AND 1978 HAPPENINGS

THE BARRIERS OF CROSS CULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION

We take many issues very seriously, and the death of M.A. Rahman Chughtai reminded us of the immense responsibility thrusted on our shoulders. Just a few days after the death of M.A. Rahman Chughtai, we printed our first handout. In it we assured the world not only of preserving, promoting and researching the Art of M.A. Rahman Chughtai, but also providing access of the Art to students and scholars from all over the world. Ms Marcella Bedford had applied to the Pak American Association for funding for her proposed research on Textiles and was working on that. I do not know who or how, but it was suggested to her that she changes her topic for research on M.A. Rahman Chughtai and his Art. The papers came in and they are in our archives. The first letter from her was on 12th October, 1976. Then Marcella Bedford came by aeroplane to the Lahore Airport and I was there to receive her. I was not able to see her alight from the plane but she was in the lounge fine. I brought her in my car to the premises of the museum and it was nearing our 1978 show of 17th January, in which Ms Tamara Talbot Rice from the United Kingdom was our Chief Guest. We provided her accommodation for stay at the museum itself. Everything was exciting.

All details are there in the museum, for we are very exact about our records. We did everything possible to provide to her, all her desired requirements, like books, magazines, newspapers, catalogues, images and what not? And of course interviews in a free atmosphere. She carried a professional camera and we would allow her to photograph her requirements but with a small tab in plastic of CMT, that is CHUGHTAI MUSEUM TRUST. If we look at the bibliography etc attached to her thesis, we will find reoccurred the tab of CMT tab everywhere.

People change. People waver. A diligent Marcella diversified and we pointed it out to her in the best of spirits. Having had access to so many things about Chughtai, she felt that she could proclaim herself as the end of it all. We pointed out that her understanding of Chughtai was based on cross cultural barriers. Many of her assertions were outright wrong and there was nothing wrong about telling her that. But ideas were okay when a person takes credit for that, but facts could not be tinkered in any way. For example somebody had translated a paragraph absolutely wrong for her, and based on that, she was making claims, which had no reality in fact. We all learn more with time and she was jumping in some ways about her conclusions about the artist. Obviously we knew more about Chughtai than her, for not were we Chughtai’s family, we had lived with the artist all our lives and we knew the spirit and Ideology of M.A. Rahman Chughtai. She was unwilling to accept that, so without any malice, our ways drifted apart. We have great regards for her efforts but if the efforts are doing injustice to the artist himself, it was our right to point it out.

A banker from Asian Development Bank brought her as help one day to the museum and I told him she had no concept of her assertion. Gladly he was a reasonable man, went back and came alone the next day. No harm done. So when auction houses start quoting her to me as well as people, who never had access to me, I point it out. We wish Marcella well but it is our foremost right to present facts as well as the interpretations of them. Ms Marcella Bedford came here after a quest for a thesis on Textiles. In Rawalpindi she saw a copy of Amal e Chughtai and felt enamoured with Chughtai Art. Thanks to Marcella for that. She was our first serious student on the Art of M.A. Rahman Chughtai at PHD level. We were excited then, we are excited even today. But the white man’s burden is enormous. Knowledge teaches you humility to know more, not arrogance in an way. We taught Marcella things about Chughtai Art, in no way, she ever taught us! These are points to remember. We wish her best of luck in life! There is no malice within us. A scholarly role is to present all versions, at least two opposing ones, for fairness in judgement. At times the dear lady looked so bewildered that she even presented an artist in her thesis WHO CLAIMED THAT CHUGHTAI WAS NEVER THE ARTIST AND HE WAS THE ACTUAL PAINTER WHO DID WORKS FOR THE ARTIST WHO LATER USED TO SIGN THE WORKS IN HIS OWN NAME. We could have died laughing at the idea or we would have lynched that man to a tree for ridiculous statements, but she took even that man seriously, knowing even by statistics it was an impossible statement. Yes we have so much more of her in our records. We will tell more. But one thing is sure. We welcomed her then, we welcome her now. We have nothing against her. We request her to analyze her statements so that nothing is left on record which will prove to be a childish assessment for the future. God be with her all the time!

ART EXPLORATIONS OF CHUGHTAI ART SERIES FIVE;
ETCHINGS AND AQUATINTS AND ENGRAVED PLATES;
WESTERN MEDIA UNDER PERFECTION EASTERN HANDS.

It was preferable to jump to coloured things, but the engraved scene was important enough to take our hands on it. The complete tale is on our blog and entitled EAST MET WEST and it can not only be read there, but also downloaded by anyone interested in same. Sir Frank Short said the final word in 1936. You are learning a Western technique, do not lose your Eastern touch anytime. Paul Drury said other things. Your head is a bank of faces, from where you can draw a face at will by drawing a cheque on it. Western artists loved him even in the 1920s and 1930s. Our modern artists vomit an indigestible Chughtai. For them this mixture of East and West is dangerous for their existence. Chughtai erased this opposition within his own lifetime.

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Exhibition on etchings have been held many times. Main exhibition shows were in Japan, American Centre Lahore and Grosvenor Gallery London. Charles Moore is happy to consult with us at times. Thanks Charles! You are fun.