Born in Kathmandu, Kingdom of Nepal
Raj Man Singh Chitrakar
Deceasedराजमानसिंह चित्रकार
First Nepali artist to apply Western lighting and perspective, pioneering three-dimensional effects in Nepali painting
About
Raj Man Singh Chitrakar worked as a painter for both the British and Nepalese courts, during the mid-19th century. He produced a large body of work. It is especially notable for its watercolour illustrations of birds and other natural history subjects.
He was the first Nepali artist to apply Western concepts of lighting and perspective to his work. This introduced three-dimensional effects into a Nepali painting tradition. Before this, the tradition had been dominated by flatter, votive religious art.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1797
- Birthplace
- Kathmandu, Kingdom of Nepal
- Profession
- Painter
- Nationality
- Nepal
- Status
- Deceased
- Died
- 1865
Previous roles
Court painter
British and Nepalese courts
Career & life timeline
- 1797
- 19th century
Worked as a court painter for both the British and Nepalese courts, producing natural history illustrations, particularly of birds
- 1865
Died at age 67–68 in Kathmandu
Achievements
First Nepali artist to apply Western concepts of lighting and perspective
Credited with introducing three-dimensional effects into Nepali painting
Last updated: 2026-09-06