Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India's Himalayan Kingdoms

Of the Hills: Pahari Paintings from India's Himalayan Kingdoms is a major exhibition at the National Museum of Asian Art that brings together forty-eight rare and exquisite paintings created for Hindu kings in the Pahari (hill) region of northern India between the 1620s and 1830s. Drawn primarily from the museum’s recent acquisition of the renowned Catherine Glynn Benkaim and Ralph Benkaim collection—many of which have never been publicly exhibited before—the show also incorporates works from the museum’s historic holdings and loans from the Cleveland Museum of Art. The exhibition highlights the extraordinary stylistic diversity of Pahari artists, ranging from lyrical naturalism to bold abstraction, and presents new scholarship on the collaborative artist communities in which most painters worked. Visitors can explore the political, cultural, and religious contexts behind these intricate watercolors, which often illustrate Hindu epics and divine stories, and appreciate the fine detail that rewards close looking. The exhibition is accompanied by the major publication *Pahari Paintings: Art and Stories* and runs concurrently with Pahari-themed exhibitions at the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Cincinnati Art Museum. In celebration of prominent American collectors, *Of the Hills* is also featured as part of the United States’ 250th anniversary initiative, *Our Shared Future: 250*.

When: April 18 through July 26, 2026.

Venue: National Museum of Asian Art, East Building, Galleries 23 and 24, located at 1050 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20013.

Showtimes: Open during regular museum hours; check the museum’s website for specific times and any holiday closures.

Tickets: Free admission; no ticket required.

Works on View: 48 paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries, including works by artists from the generations after the famous masters Nainsukh and Manaku, such as a detailed depiction of Krishna and His Family Admire a Solar Eclipse from a Bhagavata Purana (ca. 1775–80).

Lineup: Exhibition includes works from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection, the museum’s Freer Collection, and loans from the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Run time: Not specified; visitors can spend as much time as they wish in the galleries.

Ages: Suitable for all ages; content is art-historical.

Accessibility: Exhibition text is available online for resizing or use with a screen reader via a link provided on the museum’s exhibition page. The museum is wheelchair accessible; contact the museum for specific accommodations.

Support: Generous support is provided by the Pettit Foundation South Asia and India Fund, the Nancy and Hart Fessenden Endowment for South Asia, and the Ashok and Marion F. Deshmukh Endowment for South Asia.

Note: The exhibition is accompanied by the publication *Pahari Paintings: Art and Stories* and is part of the national *Our Shared Future: 250* initiative marking the United States’ 250th anniversary.