Ismail Gulgee (); 25 October 1926 – 16 December 2007), also known simply as Gulgee, was a Pakistani painter.
Born in Peshawar, he received his early education at Lawrence College before attending Aligarh University, Columbia University, and Harvard University for higher education. He started off painting portraits before turning to abstract art, basing his works on Islamic calligraphy. He gained international acclaim, and was commissioned to paint several leaders, including US Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H. W. Bush, the Shah of Iran, King Hussein of Jordan, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia, and Pakistani leaders Zulifqar Ali Bhutto and General Ayub Khan. his driver and servant were convicted and given life sentences on 23 May 2017.
Early life and education
Gulgee was born on 25 October 1926 at Karimpura locality in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Beginning in the 1960s (if not earlier), Gulgee (along with his younger brother Agha Sadaruddin (a well-known filmmaker and photographer for Time and Life), also created sculptures, including bronze pieces that were (like so many of his paintings) calligraphic in form and inspiration, and sometimes specifically based on verses from the Quran.
Murder
Gulgee, his wife Zarrin Gulgee and a maid were found dead by strangulation While the bodies were found on the 19th, officials report that they had apparently been deceased for three days, leading to a speculative death date of 16 December 2007. Their bodies were found bound and gagged in separate rooms of the house. The initial cause of death for all three had been attributed to suffocation. According to press reports, his son reported that Gulgee's car and driver were missing and a foul smell coming from his parents' home. Gulgee was buried on the evening of 20 December 2007 in Karachi.
Awards and recognition
- Pride of Performance Award in 1970 by the President of Pakistan