An exhibition titled “Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India’s Himalayan Kingdoms” has opened at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, part of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., running through July 26. The show features 48 rare paintings created for Hindu kings in the Pahari region of northern India between the 1620s and 1830s, highlighting diverse styles from lyrical and naturalistic to boldly colored and abstracted. Key works include pieces acquired from art historian Catherine Glynn Benkaim and collector Ralph Benkaim, some never publicly exhibited before, along with loans from the Cleveland Museum of Art.
The exhibition matters because it brings attention to a lesser-known but influential artistic tradition, offering new scholarship on the collaborative artist communities of the Himalayan hill kingdoms. By presenting these works alongside related shows at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cincinnati Art Museum, it provides a broader understanding of Pahari art and its cultural significance. The display also underscores the importance of provenance and collection-building, as newly exhibited pieces from the Benkaim collection enrich public access to these masterpieces.