Anna Molka Ahmed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anna Molka Ahmed
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Molly Bridger
13 August 1917 London, England
|
| Died | 20 April 1994 (aged 76) Lahore, Pakistan
|
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Education | Saint Martin's School of Art, London |
| Known for | Painting, educator |
| Spouse(s) |
Sheikh Ahmed
(m. 1939; div. 1951) |
| Awards | Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) by the Government of Pakistan in 1963 Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1969 |
Anna Molka Ahmed (born August 13, 1917 – died April 20, 1994) was a very important Pakistani artist. She was a true pioneer in fine arts for Pakistan after it became an independent country in 1947. Anna Molka Ahmed also worked as a professor of fine arts at the University of the Punjab in Lahore.
Early Life and Art Career
Anna Molka Ahmed was born Molly Bridger in London, England, on August 13, 1917. Her parents were from Poland and Russia. When she was 18 years old, in 1935, she converted to Islam. She married Sheikh Ahmed in October 1939, who was studying in London at the time.
Anna Molka Ahmed studied art at the St. Martin School of Arts in London. There, she learned about painting, sculpture, and design. She even earned a special scholarship to the famous Royal Academy of Art.
In 1940, Anna Molka Ahmed moved to Lahore, Pakistan. Besides creating her own paintings, she also taught fine art at the University of the Punjab. She was a very dedicated teacher. She started the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Punjab, which is now called the College of Arts and Design. She led this department until 1978.
In 1951, Anna Molka Ahmed and Sheikh Ahmed divorced. However, she chose to stay in Pakistan with her two daughters. She lived there until her death on April 20, 1994.
During her 55-year career, Anna Molka Ahmed became famous for her paintings. She painted beautiful landscapes, large detailed scenes with people, and insightful portraits. Her art often used a special technique called impasto, where paint is applied thickly. She used bright, lively colors in her artworks.
Awards and Special Honours
Anna Molka Ahmed received several important awards for her contributions to art:
- She was given the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) in 1963. The Government of Pakistan gave her this award for her great work in fine arts education.
- In 1969, she received the Pride of Performance Award from the President of Pakistan.
- She also won the Khudeja Tul Kubra Medal.
To honor her and other great Pakistani painters, Pakistan Post issued a special sheet of stamps on August 14, 2006. Anna Molka Ahmed was one of ten artists featured on these stamps.
Google Doodle Celebration
On June 1, 2020, Google celebrated Anna Molka Ahmed with a special Google Doodle. This showed her artwork on the Google homepage for a day, letting many people around the world learn about her.
