Full Name | Molly Bridger (later Anna Molka Ahmed) |
Date of Birth | August 13, 1917 |
Place of Birth | London, England |
Date of Death | April 20, 1994 |
Place of Death | Lahore, Pakistan |
Nationality | Pakistani |
Known For | Painting, educator |
Spouse | Sheikh Ahmed (married 1939; divorced 1951) |
Awards | Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (1963), Pride of Performance (1969) |
Notable Contributions | Pioneer of fine arts in Pakistan post-independence, Professor of fine arts at the University of the Punjab |
Early Life | Born to Jewish parents, converted to Islam at 18, married Sheikh Ahmed in 1939 |
Education | Studied painting, sculpture, and design at St. Martin School of Arts, a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Art |
Career | Moved to Lahore in 1940, established and headed the Department of Fine Arts at the University of the Punjab until 1978 |
Artistic Style | Known for evocative landscapes, thematic figurative compositions, and insightful portraits using impasto technique with a vivid palette |
Honors | Khadija Tul Kubra Medal, commemorative postage stamp in 2006, Google Doodle in 2020 |
Children | Two daughters |
Legacy | Remembered as a trailblazer in Pakistani fine arts and art education |