Collection: Purkhu

Purkhu (fl. 1780–1820), also recorded as Purkhoo or Parkhu, was a Pahari painter active in the Kangra Valley of the Punjab Hills.

Trained within the Kangra school, a regional variant of the late Mughal-inflected Pahari miniature tradition, he produced works for courtly patrons and religious commissions alike. His career coincided with the height of Kangra painting, noted for refined linework, luminous palette, and lyrical figuration.

Purkhu’s oeuvre includes secular and devotional subjects, with documented works depicting episodes from the "Gita Govinda" of Jayadeva. His "Sakhi persuades Radha to meet Krishna" (c. 1820–25, Cleveland Museum of Art) demonstrates the Kangra idiom: delicate sfumato modeling, jewel-toned drapery, and a narrative economy focused on emotional intimacy. His technique involved minimal gold leaf and asymmetrical yet balanced compositions.