India, June 14 -- The journey of the colour blue in art across the world is fascinating, as it has remained one of the most coveted colours, giving art the rare qualities of calm, hope and celebration for thousands of years. This is because the amazing shade that spreads across the sky is rarely found in nature and is difficult to transfer onto canvas. It is easy enough to sing - Aa neele gagan tale, pyar hum karein (Sharing love beneath the blue sky) - but far more difficult to bring it onto the canvas, as in the works of Vincent van Gogh celebrating the apple blossoms or Pablo Picasso's blue period, marked by blue and blue-green tones following the suicide of a close friend.

The history of this canvas shade is long and interesting. It ...