Sadequain, who had a sense of his own genius, proactively sought supporters in the establishment who could facilitate his dream for public murals. In the 1960s and '70s, public commissions were a mark of recognition in Pakistan; here, first Gulgee and then Ahmed Khan, with their official portraits set national standards.

The greats of the 20th century like Andy Warhol and Frances Bacon both took a different route to success. While Warhol overtly courted the media with his brash painting style and appropriation of reproduction techniques in his studio called the Factory in the US, Bacon, haunted by his own demons, caught the attention of the British imagination with a new iconography on his canvas. Joseph Bueys challenged the canons till he was able to subvert them to his own way of thinking.

In Pakistan, it was Shakir Ali's pedagogic influence that kept his Modernist contribution in the foreground and made historians seek out his rather modest oeuvre. Gulgee, a national success with a prolific career had perhaps the best managed career; his network of contacts at home and abroad provided regular opportunities for commissions and exhibitions. At the time of his unfortunate death he was a national icon and one of the only two artists alive with a mid-sized personal museum. Jamil Naqsh, the other artist with a personal museum, is a Pakistani master in great demand at art auctions.

In the pantheon of 21st century artists like Anish Kapoor, Damian Hearst, Mona Hatoum, Jeff Koon and Takashi Murakami, the path to success has changed just as the instruments of validation have changed.

In her ethnographic research of the world art scene Seven days in the art world, the author Sarah Thornton as an outsider looking in concludes that for an artist to be successful today, a BFA or MFA is at the top of the list because of the diminishing number of self- taught artists under 40 years of age. Representation by a primary gallery/dealer is an important second for a talented artist to be taken seriously. This is very true in developing countries where artists need galleries with an international outreach. The career of Rashid Rana took off when an Indian gallery promoted him. Green Cardamom in London, Ghandhara Art in Hong Kong and Chawkart in Dubai, founded by Pakistani curators, have begun to give artists from Pakistan a greater visibility at international events.

Important international awards and residencies provide networking opportunities, Vasl as a part of Triangular Trust has been instrumental in establishing the residency culture in Pakistan and now the more recent residency, set up by R.M. Naeem in Lahore, also brings artists together to dialogue and work. This initiative to work together in the past came from artists themselves; Van Gogh had set up a studio in the South of France where he invited Gauguin to join him. Among local artists, Bashir Mirza worked extensively with Souza, and the acrylic series came out of this liaison.

The Golden Lion awarded at the Venice Biennale is a premier prize. In 2007, it was given to Yoko Ono, a maverick who worked with her back to the establishment most of her life. While lifetime awards act as an affirmation, prizes for mid-career artist are an important rung on the ladder to success.

The winner of the Abraaj Art Prize not only funds the dream work but also promises an international tour with many prestigious doors opening for the artist and his/her art. In Pakistan, the most prestigious prize used to be the ones associated with the Annual National Exhibition sponsored by the PNCA. The Rangoonwalla Prize somehow did not take off.

In the new rule book of success, coming under the hammer at Sotheby's, Christies and Bonhams is significant for it determines the financial worth of an artist. Success and financial value have become synonymous which makes dealers and collectors important players. Of course, a market crash can interfere with the vertical price hike of an artist's work.

Museum validation has been identified, even by art hedge fund managers, as the success with the most staying power for it buffers the artist from the vagaries of the art market. Museum shows and permanent exhibits at important international institutions like Moma, Tate Modern, Guggenheim as well as national galleries in the home countries of the artists allow their oeuvre to enter the consciousness of the audience that goes beyond any six or seven digit sale. This public interface transcends time and is perhaps the ultimate dialogue that the artist's seeks after the work leaves the studio.