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{{Short description|Pahari artist (c. 1680–1740)}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Seu
| image = Portrait of Pandit Seu, by Nainsukh, ca.1735–40.jpg
| style = [[Pahari painting|Pahari]] (specifically [[Guler State#Guler paintings|Guler]])
| children =
| honorific_prefix = [[Pandit]]
| honorific_suffix =
| caption = Portrait of Seu, by his son [[Nainsukh]], {{circa|1735–40}}.
| birth_date =
| death_date =
| signature = Signature of the artist Seu of Guler State, from the back of a painting of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler State performing puja, ca.1740.png
| patrons = Raja Dalip Singh of Guler State
}}

'''Seu''' ({{circa|1680–1740}}),<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Pandit Seu |url=https://www.archnet.org/authorities/8571 |access-date=20 October 2024 |website=Archnet}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Guy |first=John |title=Wonder of the Age: Master Painters of India, 1100-1900 |last2=Britschgi |first2=Jorrit |publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art |year=2011 |isbn=9781588394309 |pages=10, 146 |chapter=}}</ref> also known as '''Pandit Seu''', was a [[Pahari painting|Pahari artist]] who specialized in ''musawir''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2">Goswamy, B. N. "On Two Portraits of Pahari Artists." ''Artibus Asiae'', vol. 34, no. 2/3, 1972, pp. 225–31. ''JSTOR'', <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/3249649</nowiki>. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.</ref> He was attached to the court of Raja Dilip Singh of [[Guler State]] (reigned ca.1695–1741).<ref name=":0" /> He was a member of the [[Seu-Manaku-Nainsukh family]].

== Biography ==
[[File:Painting of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler State performing puja, attributed to Seu, ca.1740.png|thumb|Painting of Raja Dalip Singh of Guler State performing puja, attributed to Seu, ca.1740. Seu was patronized by Raja Dalip Singh of Guler.]]
Seu was the son of Hasnu, grandson of Bharathu, and great-grandson of Data.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /> Seu was a native of Guler.<ref name=":2" /> Seu must have left the hills and travelled to the plains, where he came into contact with Mughal artists of the late-Mughal style.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=30 September 2018 |title=Manaku and Nainsukh: Family Ties |url=https://asianartnewspaper.com/manaku-and-nainsukh-family-ties/ |access-date=20 October 2024 |website=Asian Art Newspaper}}</ref> Seu was alive when [[Aurangzeb]] was disassembling the Mughal ateliers, which led to these artists to leave Delhi for other states, such as Guler.<ref name=":3" /> Seu would establish an atelier (workshop) in Guler, which for 150 years produced talented artists.<ref name=":1" />

=== Familial atelier ===
He was the patriarch of the Seu-Manaku-Nainsukh family, which would produced famous artists such as [[Manaku of Guler|Manaku]], [[Nainsukh]], Fattu, Khushala, Kama, Ranjha, Gursahai, Sukhdayal, Deviditta, Gaudhu, Nikka, Saudagar, Attra, and Ramdayal.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=Goswamy |first=B. N. |title=Pahari Masters: Court Painters of Northern India |last2=Fischer |first2=Eberhard |publisher=Artibus Asiae Publishers Supplementum |year=1992 |isbn=9783907070376 |pages=307–319 |asin=B0018NI8PC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Archer |first=William G. |title=Indian Paintings from the Punjab Hills: A Survey and History of Pahari Miniature Painting |publisher=Sotheby Parke Bernet (London and New York) / Oxford University Press (Delhi) |year=1973 |volume=1: Text |pages=409–412 |chapter=Painting in Siba}}</ref> His two sons, Manaku and Nainsukh, became successful artists in their own right.<ref name=":0" /> Seu served as the mentor to his elder son, Manaku, with both his sons being educated at his workshop.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> His son, Manaku, would later finish a ''[[Ramayana]]'' series that Seu had left unfinished.<ref name=":3" />

== Style ==
Seu belonged to the phase of Pahari painting that began in 1730 onwards that was characterized by a move toward a naturalistic style and innovations, perhaps due to [[Mughal painting|Mughal influence]].<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> This Mughal influence may be attributed to the weakening of Mughal state power in the early 18th century, which led the artists previously working under the Mughals to seek patronage elsewhere, such as in the [[Hill States of India|Hill States]].<ref name=":3" /> When compared to the works of his son Nainsukh, Seu more hesitantly incorporated elements from the late-Mughal-style.<ref name=":1" /> Seu's work is characterized by distinct outlines and an affinity for strong background colors, which is characteristic of earlier styles.<ref name=":1" />

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:'Fight of Drunken Monkeys and Bears', by Seu, ca.1720.jpg|'Fight of Drunken Monkeys and Bears', by Seu, ca.1720
File:'Dancing Villagers', attributed to Seu of Guler, ca.1730.jpg|'Dancing Villagers', attributed to Seu of Guler, ca.1730
File:Rama and Sita Enthroned (6124522461).jpg|[[Rama]] and [[Sita]] Enthroned, ca.1730
File:Hanuman springt über den Ozean c1720.jpg|[[Hanuman]] crosses the ocean and kills Sursa, ca.1720
File:Hanuman, sugriva and jambvan.jpg|<bdi>Hanuman, Angada, and Jambavan climb Mount Mahendra, ca.1720</bdi>
File:Painting of Mian Gopal Singh playing chess with Pandit Dinamani Raina. Ascribed to Pandit Seu of Guler. Dated ca.1720–1725.jpg|Painting of Mian Gopal Singh playing chess with Pandit Dinamani Raina. Ascribed to Pandit Seu of Guler. Dated ca.1720–1725
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:1740 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian painters]]
[[Category:People from Kangra district]]

Seu (artist) - Revision history

Juliaauhm: Starting entry