List of the most popular artists from Pakistan, listed alphabetically with photos when available. For centuries artists have been among the world's most important people, helping chronicle history and keep us entertained with one of the earliest forms of entertainment. Whether they're known for painting, sculpting, etching or drawing, the famous Pakistani artists on this list have kept that tradition alive by creating renowned pieces of art that have been praised around the world. You can find useful information below about these notable Pakistani artists, such as when they were born and where their place of birth was.
Artists on this list include Syed Abdul Mujeeb and Sadequain.
This list answers the questions, "Which famous artists are from Pakistan?" and "Who are the most well-known Pakistani artists?"
For further information on these historic Pakistani artists, click on their names. If you're a fine art lover use this list of celebrated Pakistani artists to discover some new paintings that you will enjoy.
Anna Molka AhmedHeaven, Evening garden party, Portrait of Sufi Waqar
Anna Molka Ahmed was a famous Pakistani artist and pioneer of fine arts in the country after its independence in 1947. She was a professor of fine arts at the University of the Punjab in Lahore. ...more
Ayesha Omer is a Pakistani actress, model and singer. She is known for her role as Khoobsurat in Bulbulay, Natasha in Ladies Park, Sara in Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Arzoo in Tanhai and Aleena in Dil ...more
Raghu Rai is an Indian photographer and photojournalist. He was a protégé of Henri Cartier-Bresson, who appointed Rai, then a young photojournalist, to Magnum Photos in 1977. ...more
Anwar Shemza
Anwar Jalal Shemza was an artist and writer active in Pakistan and later the United Kingdom. Despite being better known as an artist, Shemza published several Urdu novels and books of poetry in ...more
Jamal Shah is a Pakistani actor, director, painter, and a social worker. He was born in 1956 in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. In 1992 Jamal made his acting debut in K2, directed by Franc
Meesha Shafi, is a Pakistani actress, model and a singer who has appeared in Pakistani, Hollywood and Bollywood films. Shafi made her film debut with a supporting role in the 2013 Mira Nair's ...more
Shahzia SikanderAnchor, Fleshy weapons, Seven beautiful daughters of Sethi
Shahzia Sikander is a Pakistani artist who works in drawing, painting, animation, large-scale installation, performance and video, on an international stage.
Anwar Maqsood Hameedi commonly known as Anwar Maqsood is a Pakistani scriptwriter, television host, satirist, humorist, and infrequent actor. He is well known for his artists write ups for ...more
Zainul Abedin was a Bangladeshi painter. He got the break through in 1944 with his Famine Series paintings of 1943. After partition he moved to Pakistan; and finally when Bangladesh was created ...more
SadequainQuest of Knowledge, The Last Supper, Iqbal
Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, also often referred to as Sadequain Naqqash, was a world-renowned Pakistani artist, best known for his skills ...more
Ismail GulgeeVespers I, Untitled (The most merciful, the most compassionate)
Ismail Gulgee – The Gulgeez Pride of Performance, Sitara-e-Imtiaz, Hilal-e-Imtiaz, was an award-winning, globally famous Pakistani artist born in Peshawar. He was a qualified engineer in the US ...more
Hameed Sheikh is an actor and producer from Pakistan. He is known for his major roles in Khuda Kay Liye, Operation O21 and Moor. In 2001 he worked for CNN as a free lance producer, cameraman, ...more
Ahmed PervezThe final flourish of an image, Abstract with red and white, The image makers
Ahmed Parvez was a modernist painter from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. He was a member of The Lahore Group in Pakistan and founder of the Pakistan Group in London. He was also among the few early ...more
Abdur Rahman Chughtai was a painter and intellectual from Pakistan, who created his own unique, distinctive painting style influenced by Mughal art, miniature painting, Art Nouveau and Islamic ...more
Asim Butt was a Pakistani painter and sculptor, with an interest in graffiti and printmaking. He was also a member of the Stuckism International art movement and founder of The Karachi
Salima Hashmi is an acclaimed Pakistani artist, cultural writer, painter and an anti-nuclear weapon activist. She has served for four years as professor and the head of the National College of ...more
Tapu Javeri is an award winning Pakistani fashion and art photographer, radio host and jewellery designer. He works as a Freelance photographer and was the photo editor of the Xtra magazine. He ...more
Syed Abdul Mujeeb
Syed Abdul Mujeeb was a medical scientist of standing in the field of Microbiology. He was awarded the "Pride of Performance" by the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf at an ...more
Eqbal Mehdi, PP was a Pakistani painter. He is famous for his line etching drawings.
Jamil NaqshDreaming of Pigeons, Female nude with horse, Women & Pigeon
Jamil Naqsh is a Pakistani painter currently lives a reclusive life in London. He briefly studied at National College of Arts but left before obtaining a degree. His work is very idealized and ...more
Lubna AghaStar 4, Incense Burner, Black Window
Lubna Agha was an American artist of Pakistani descent living in Brookline, Massachusetts. Her art invokes a dialogue between the modern-abstract and traditional forms and practices of Islamic ...more
Ajaz AnwarGolden Mosque, Chitta Darwaza, Kanji Wala
Ajaz Anwar [ Urdu: اعجاز انور ] is a distinguished painter of Pakistan. He was a teacher at National College of Arts Lahore. His watercolour paintings show the grandeur of the old buildings and ...more
Syed Afsar Madad Naqvi, was one of the twentieth century's great sculptors. He is best known for his pure realistic monumental sculptures which can be seen in many places around the country. ...more
Ghulam Farid Sabri
Ghulam Farid Sabri was a major Qawwali singer, and a leading member of the Sabri Brothers, a leading qawwali group.
Shakir Ali
Shakir Ali [ Urdu: شاکر على 1975–1914] was an influential modern Pakistani artist and art teacher. He was the principal of the National College of Arts in Lahore. He joined Mayo School of Art as ...more
