Press Reviews

The Times of India, December 1957.

THE TIMES OF INDIA
ART — By Our Art Critic

Exhibition of Kashmir Landscapes: All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Art Gallery: Here amidst us is a votary of watercolours and a lover of the vale of Kashmir (no wonder since he hails from there), Manohar Kaul. An exhibition of his paintings was opened by Dr. B. V. Keskar, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, at the All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society Art Gallery on Tuesday evening. The paintings on view, 62 in number, are pleasing, very pleasing indeed. They depict the beauty and glory of that beautiful land, Kashmir, so dear to our hearts. It is with a twinkle in our eyes that we recognize the places we have visited—Shankaracharya Hill, Hari Parbat Fort, Kolahai Falls, Jhelum Bund, Road to Pahlgam, "Apple Tree" Canal, "Mar" canal, Wular Lake, Dal Lake and so on. And it is with a thrill that we view once again lotuses and daisies in bloom, scenes of peach, cherry and almond blossoms, flower meadows and avenues of Chinar aflame. "Backwaters" by M. Kaul. In this particular genre of painting, Manohar Kaul has some skilful works to his merit—for example, No. 30 "Apple Tree" Canal in Winter, No. 39. The Curved Road, No. 42. "Piercing" Moonlight and No. 62, the Last Flicker. Some of his washes are admirable. But it has to be pointed out that Manohar Kaul is treading the primrose path—his present work is rather sugary and pretty. For the most part, his landscapes are descriptive, not expressive. May I remind him that a painter, worth his salt, has no business to represent mere Nature and that it is his function to represent his vision of Nature. The exhibition will remain open daily till December 27 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

News photo: Manohar Kaul with Dr. B. V. Keskar at the exhibition, December 1957.

Delhi Weekly
Exhibution- Manohar Kaul

An exhibition of watercolors (aquarelles) by the young painter Mr. Manohar Kaul was opened in New Delhi on December 17, 1957, by Dr. Keskar. Mr. Manohar Kaul is seen showing the exhibits to Dr. Keskar in the picture.

Press review from The Hindustan Times, December 1957.

Hindustan Times
By A Staff Correspondent

The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. B. V. Keskar, will on Tuesday inaugurate an exhibition of the paintings of the well-known Kashmir artist, Manohar Kaul, at the AIFACS hall. Kaul is essentially a landscape painter with a predominant subjective bias, a water colourist, and a traditionalist at that. He draws with ease and confidence from nature in all her moods as determined by time, place, weather or season and creates visual pieces of ordered beauty and penetrating loveliness. In his varied scenes of Kashmir, drawn almost transparently, one gains a sense of deep repose of silent woods and calm waters. There is one aspect of his painting which distinguishes him from the common escapists; that is he seldom creates an illusion of reality, nor does he distort it to give a false, novel bias. Indeed, by looking at his works of art one roams in vernal bloom, in the gorgeous tints of burning autumn or in the sheen of winter snow, and "enjoys" the bracing climate of mountain ranges and receding valleys. With sensitive brush-strokes he weaves a fabric of his own creative genius which has an abstract, decorative value. He has a keen perception of the beauties of nature, a sense of colour harmonies, and balanced composition. A keen painter, though not one by profession, Manohar Kaul has acquired proficiency in painting at the Amar Singh Technical Institute under its former eminent, artist-principal Jyotish Chandra Mukherjee and also passed in the first class the examination in painting of the "City and Guilds Institute" London. The exhibition will remain open up to December 27 between 9 A.M. to 1:30 P.M. and 3 P.M. to 5:30 P.M..

Newspaper review titled “Landscapes on View”, December 1957.

LANDSCAPES ON VIEW
Dr Keskar Opens Exhibition
BY AN ART CRITIC

An exhibition of watercolours (aquarelles) by the young painter, Manohar Kaul, was opened in New Delhi by Dr. Keskar on Tuesday. Kaul has put on show 62 landscapes, mostly executed in water colours and evinces close association with the themes he has painted. Some of his landscapes show a studied handling and evince an understanding for nature's varied moods. The scale of prices of these paintings is within the limits of a buyers' pocket. These works would be interesting pieces in the drawing-rooms of those who love Kashmir and its environments. The exhibition will remain open up to December 27 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m..

Newspaper column titled “Merry Go Round” by Pollux, December 1957.

MERRY GO ROUND
By POLLUX

A Kashmiri landscape painter of talent, Manohar Kaul, is holding his first exhibition of paintings in Delhi on Tuesday. The exhibition, which is to be inaugurated by the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. B. V. Keskar, at the AIFACS Gallery, represents the various phases of the development of the artist.

Manohar Kaul in his depiction of Kashmir goes direct to nature. He does not distort it for achieving effect. He draws with ease and confidence from nature in all her moods and creates patterns of beauty of penetrating loveliness. Born in Srinagar, he acquired proficiency in painting at the Sir Amar Singh Technical Institute under the supervision of its artist-principal, Mr. Jyotish Chandra Mookerji. He passed in first class the examination in painting of the City and Guilds Institute, London. Water colour suits Manohar Kaul best. In his varied scenes of Kashmir we sense deep repose. In his works, we roam in vernal bloom, in gorgeous tints of autumn and in the sheen of winter snows. The exhibition will remain open from December 17 to December 26.