About Zubeida Agha
Zubeida Agha, 75, Pakistani artist.
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Full Biography
|Zubeida Agha (Urdu: زبیدہ آغا; 1922–1997) was among the first Pakistani Modern Artists. After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, she was the first artist to hold an exhibition of her paintings. She helped bring the modern idiom to Pakistan.
Early life
Zubeida Agha was born in 1922 in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan. After graduating from Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore, she worked with painter B. C. Sanyal from 1944 to 1946. At this time, she also became well-acquainted with the works of Picasso. She was also influenced by the works of Mario Perlingeri, an Italian prisoner of war in India at that time. The Society of Fine Arts awarded her first prize for modern painting in 1946. She joined Saint Martin's School of Art, London in 1950, later moving on to Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris in 1951. In 1961, she was appointed executive director of the Contemporary Art Gallery in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, receiving the President's Pride of Performance award in 1965.
Career
Zubeida Agha is considered a premier painter of Pakistan and a pioneer of modern art in the country. In the 1940s, she had the courage and determination to launch a modern style of painting. Her style of art first baffled and later overwhelmed art critics and viewers. Colourist painting is characterized by the use of intense colour. Zubeida Agha was one of the great colourist painters in the history of Pakistani painting. She uses colour not only for itself, but to lend truthfulness and depth of meaning to her images, using her imagination to provoke the viewer into thought. In November 2002, a large exhibit of Zubeida Agha's paintings was held at Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore.
Postage stamp
On 14 August 2006, Pakistan Post issued a Rs. 40 sheetlet of stamps to posthumously honour 10 Pakistani painters. Besides Zubeida Agha, the other nine painters were: Laila Shahzada, Askari Mian Irani, Sadequain, Ali Imam, Shakir Ali, Anna Molka Ahmed, Zahoor ul Akhlaq, Ahmed Pervez and Bashir Mirza.
Legacy
Zubeida Agha is often called a torch-bearer of modern art in Pakistan. Other times she is also named 'The grande dame of Pakistani art'.
Her work is on permanent display at the National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad, Pakistan. National Art Gallery is displaying some works of Pakistani legends of visual art on permanent basis to serve as inspiration and to educate the coming generations.
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zubeida_Agha
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Zubeida Agha's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was Zubeida Agha born?
- A.1947
- B.1922correct
- C.1950
- D.1965
Zubeida Agha was born in 1922 in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
Source: Early life section
2.Where was Zubeida Agha born?
- A.Rawalpindi
- B.Islamabad
- C.Faisalabadcorrect
- D.Lahore
Zubeida Agha was born in 1922 in Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan.
Source: Early life section
3.Which educational institution did Zubeida Agha graduate from?
- A.Kinnaird College for Women Universitycorrect
- B.Ecole des Beaux Arts
- C.Punjab University
- D.Saint Martin's School of Art
Zubeida Agha graduated from Kinnaird College for Women University, Lahore.
Source: Early life section
4.With which painter did Zubeida Agha work between 1944 and 1946?
- A.Ali Imam
- B.Shakir Ali
- C.Mario Perlingeri
- D.B. C. Sanyalcorrect
Zubeida Agha worked with painter B. C. Sanyal from 1944 to 1946.
Source: Early life section
5.Which Italian artist influenced Zubeida Agha while he was a prisoner of war in India?
- A.Shakir Ali
- B.Pablo Picasso
- C.Mario Perlingericorrect
- D.B. C. Sanyal
Zubeida Agha was influenced by the works of Mario Perlingeri, an Italian prisoner of war in India at that time.
Source: Early life section
6.When did The Society of Fine Arts award Zubeida Agha her first prize for modern painting?
- A.1950
- B.1961
- C.1946correct
- D.1965
The Society of Fine Arts awarded Zubeida Agha first prize for modern painting in 1946.
Source: Early life section
7.At which institution did Zubeida Agha study in Paris starting in 1951?
- A.Kinnaird College
- B.Saint Martin's School of Art
- C.National Art Gallery
- D.Ecole des Beaux Artscorrect
Zubeida Agha moved on to Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris in 1951.
Source: Early life section
8.What position was Zubeida Agha appointed to in 1961 in Rawalpindi?
- A.President of the Society of Fine Arts
- B.Executive director of the Contemporary Art Gallerycorrect
- C.Professor at Kinnaird College
- D.Director of the National Art Gallery
In 1961, Zubeida Agha was appointed executive director of the Contemporary Art Gallery in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Source: Early life section
9.For which award was Zubeida Agha recognized in 1965?
- A.President's Pride of Performance awardcorrect
- B.The Society of Fine Arts Prize
- C.Modern Art Pioneer Medal
- D.Lifetime Achievement Award
Zubeida Agha received the President's Pride of Performance award in 1965.
Source: Early life section
10.How is Zubeida Agha's style of painting characterized in the text?
- A.Realist
- B.Minimalist
- C.Abstract Impressionist
- D.Colouristcorrect
Zubeida Agha was one of the great colourist painters in the history of Pakistani painting.
Source: Career section
11.In what month and year was a large exhibit of Zubeida Agha's paintings held at the Shakir Ali Museum?
- A.November 2002correct
- B.March 1965
- C.August 2006
- D.January 1997
In November 2002, a large exhibit of Zubeida Agha's paintings was held at Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore.
Source: Career section
12.What was the denomination of the stamp sheetlet issued by Pakistan Post to honor Zubeida Agha?
- A.Rs. 10
- B.Rs. 20
- C.Rs. 50
- D.Rs. 40correct
On 14 August 2006, Pakistan Post issued a Rs. 40 sheetlet of stamps to posthumously honour 10 Pakistani painters.
Source: Postage stamp section
13.How many other painters were honored alongside Zubeida Agha on the 2006 postage stamps?
- A.11
- B.8
- C.10
- D.9correct
Besides Zubeida Agha, the other nine painters were honored on the sheetlet.
Source: Postage stamp section
14.Which title is Zubeida Agha often given as a legacy description?
- A.The Grande Dame of Pakistani Artcorrect
- B.The Founder of the National Art Gallery
- C.The Portraitist of Rawalpindi
- D.The Queen of Faisalabad Art
Zubeida Agha is often called a torch-bearer of modern art in Pakistan, and other times she is also named 'The grande dame of Pakistani art'.
Source: Legacy section
15.Where is Zubeida Agha's work on permanent display?
- A.National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Islamabadcorrect
- B.Shakir Ali Museum, Lahore
- C.Contemporary Art Gallery, Rawalpindi
- D.Kinnaird College, Lahore
Zubeida Agha's work is on permanent display at the National Art Gallery of Pakistan National Council of the Arts in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Source: Legacy section
16.In what year did Zubeida Agha die?
- A.2002
- B.2006
- C.1997correct
- D.1947
Zubeida Agha (1922–1997) was among the first Pakistani Modern Artists.
Source: Introductory paragraph
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