Need expert to help ID pastel portraits of Tibetan natives, mid century.
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slipper (
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April 4th, 2010
This is a series of highly sophisticated portraits (approx 14×18) done of Tibetans in native clothing, mid century and then framed in India. They range from children to the elderly, and the signature appears to be Caha or Cala or Laha with additional accents or dots.
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6 Answers
Find some Tibetan community and ask them, the government in exile resides in Dharamsala India, they probably have a website. Start there. There is the free Tibet Campaign in London they could put you on to an expert.
thanks very much for the leads.
I would go to an art appraiser. They may be of Tibetan people but they could be by someone who was classically trained. I’m curious about the signature. Is it in English?
I haven’t found an appraiser who has the knowledge yet. That’s basically what I am trying to find. It doesn’t look like an English name to me. It looks like a different alphabet particularly with what seem to be alphabetic symbols that flourish the characters.
I too have 2 portraits that size that were given to me by my father in law who was stationed in India in the 1960s. They are an elderly man and woman in native garb and were framed at Royal Studio in New Delhi in 1966. The signature on mine looks like Zah or Jah with 2 dots under neath and it is underlined. Any information you have would be welcomed.
“JAH” – or Jimmy A Hulbert – was a wonderful artist who lived in Darjeeling, West Bengal. He was known for his beautiful pastel portraits of Tibetan / Nepalese people both old and young. I went to boarding school in Darjeeling, and when my Mother came up to visit us she would often help JAH by selling his paintings for him down in the plains.We also have quite a few JAH pastels – I love every one of them.
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