Who was Nikka of Guler? Although he is regarded as one of the most accomplished painters of the Pahari region of North India, little is known about his life. Born into the family of the celebrated artist Nainsukh, Nikka created princely portraits as well as remarkable series of paintings accompanying religious and literary subjects during the second half of the eighteenth century. Recent research now makes it possible to attribute Nikka's works more precisely and to reconstruct his artistic profile as one of the foremost portraitists of his generation.

The exhibition Nikka – The Indian Painter presents significant works from Museum Rietberg's internationally renowned Pahari collection, assembled over the past fifty years with the support of private benefactors. Curated by Eberhard Fischer and organized in collaboration with the GBF Foundation for Cooperative Research on South Asian Art and Artists, the exhibition highlights recent research findings and offers new perspectives on one of the great yet long-overlooked masters of Indian painting.