Treasures of the Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur

TREASURES OF THE

ALBERT HALL MUSEUM JAIPUR

TREASURES OF THE

ALBERT HALL MUSEUM JAIPUR Edited by Chandramani Singh

Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan in association with Mapin Publishing

FOREWORD Indrajit Singh Masuda

CHISELLED MARVELS A Visual Feast of Stone Sculptures

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Devendra Handa

22 ALBERT HALL A 19th Century Museum in Historical Perspective

IMAGINED REALMS Paintings and Drawings

Chandramani Singh

Navina Haidar Haykel

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32

ENIGMATIC DISCOVERIES Material Culture of Sambhar and Rairh

EARTHEN JEWELS Pottery Treasures from the Hendley Collection

Rajendra Yadav

Kristine Michael

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48

ENGRAVED EPICS Ornamented Metal Objects

KNOTTED FLOWERS Magnificent Carpets

Dipti Khera

Chandramani Singh

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98

A REGAL PANOPLY Medieval and Modern Arms

TIMELESS ART Compilation of Decorative Arts

Bapa Dhrangadhra

Dharmendar Kanwar

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108

MELODIC SPLENDOURS Collection of Musical Instruments

BIBLIOGRAPHY 118

Vijay Verma

78 THREADS AND NEEDLES Variegated Textiles and Costumes Chandramani Singh

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 119

FOREWORD

The transformation of Albert Hall from a home for dioramas to a resurrection of Colonel Thomas Holbein Hendley’s vision of creating an industrial arts museum, took several years of multiple efforts. The renovation of Albert Hall—one of the finest 19th-century museums, curated by Hendley in the latter half of that century—was completed in July 2008. The modernized museum retains the spirit of the original, yet takes advantage of the precepts of modern museology with the help of technological advances in conservation, repair and restoration.

The Albert Hall now boasts of a metal room, an arms-and-armour gallery, a sculpture gallery, displays of international art, pottery, stone art, wood work, ivory, jewellery, clay models, musical instruments, coins and seals, carpets, and galleries for miniature paintings. Many of the original wall-built showcases were built

by Wimbridges in Bombay, which were modelled on the lines of showcases at the South Kensington Museum, now known as V&A Museum, in London, have been retained to house the display. The collection is complemented with a well-documented index, compiled with the help of catalogues and the abundant literature available on crafts of Jaipur. The museum has also introduced enhanced security; better signage, and lighting and audio systems.

Authorities on museology at the prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

Detail of an ornately carved

advised us to develop a theme for the museum. The renovations have thus focused on

pillar in Albert Hall.

highlighting the industrial arts theme developed by Hendley in the 19th century.

At that time, Jaipur was experiencing a progression from the feudal to the modern age, under the rule of the reformist king, Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II (r 183580), and his successor, Sawai Madho Singh II (r 18801922). It was the former’s vision which led to setting up of Jaipur School of Art in 1866 for developing the industrial arts of the time.

Sawai Madho Singh II carried forward this vision, and all other modernization plans of his predecessor.

Facing page

It was in this atmosphere of change and reform that Thomas Hendley came to Jaipur as the residency surgeon, as did Samuel Swinton Jacob, a young military engineer, who came to head the new public works department (PWD) which was set up in 1860. They 7

Side door of the main hall. The arch and upper part of the door have glass painted in white, and lower part is intricately carved.

provided vision and expertise for the realization of the maharajas’ reform projects. Quite apart from his professional duties, Hendley was instrumental in setting up an observatory and a meteorological centre, but his real passion was to work towards preserving and developing the local industrial arts and crafts. His proposal to set up a museum was accepted by Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, and came into existence at a temporary accommodation in 1881, in Naya Mahal.

Hendley’s meticulously compiled ledger-entry of every collected item is the backbone of our inventory and an important source material to this day. The range of objects collected include metalware: vessels, salvers, plates with engraving, repoussé work, etching and carving, and they were local, panIndian and from the neighbourhood: pottery, stone carvings, woodwork, lacquer work, clay models, textiles, musical instruments, ivory carvings, arms and armour, and jewellery. Eventually, about 19,000 objects were collected, and their particulars were published in a catalogue. This passion for detail was not unusual for the Victorian Age, when analyzing, documenting and categorizing were considered signs of a scientific temperament. It is a remarkable facet of the museum’s character that it acted somewhat like a library does.

Objects could be borrowed by master craftsmen and returned.

Hendley was concerned that traditional arts retain their authenticity and not suffer modification on account of Western influences. The School of Art in Jaipur, which now exists as Rajasthan School of Art, became a workshop to preserve and develop the skills of artisans. Metal artisans Salver, Brass with zodiac pattern

were encouraged to study the shapes and forms of vessels whose outlines appeared

(rasi mandal), Jaipur, 73 x 70 cm,

in the niches at Sheesh Mahal in Amber Fort. Extraordinary vessels and salvers were

19th century, Acc No 35

designed and produced, depicting deities and signs of nakshatra, stars.

The art of koftkari, damascening steel weaponry with inlay of gold and silver, for which Jaipur is well known, interested Hendley greatly. He went on to write a book, Damascening on Steel or Iron as Practiced in India in 1892, published by W Griggs of London, and documented the best examples of the art. He believed that Jaipur had the best craftsmen of this art. He thought the same of Jaipur’s minakari, art of enamelling, that it was far superior to anything not only in India but in Europe and Persia too. Jaipur is renowned for minakari work on gold jewellery. Hendley and Jacob published a book, Jeypore Enamels, in 1886, with lithographs by W Griggs, which documented masterpieces from as far back as the 16th century.

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In 1905, Hendley published his last book, on Asian carpets, after his return to England upon retirement. He had made a reference in this to a large carpet depicting paradise with flowers, birds, trees and animals. It is likely that he was referring to the magnificent 17th-century Persian Garden Carpet which was discovered at Amber Fort in 1937 and later acquired by the museum. It now has a pride of place in the Albert Hall collection as it is the finest carpet of its kind in the world. Hendley also sought to develop the art of carpet-making by arranging for some of the finest specimens to be reproduced in the jails. Many of these are also on display.

It was a time when schools of art were sprouting all over India and there was great interest in traditional pottery, combined with the desire to develop new techniques from the East and West. Glazed pottery was in its infancy in Jaipur at the time. Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II invited Dr Alexander Hunter from Madras School of Art to survey the art of pottery in Jaipur and advise on improvement. By 1876, a class for glazing pottery was started at the Jaipur School of Art. The director of the

Phuldaan, vase with Raja-Rani

school, Opendronath Sen, devoted his energies to the development of the blue-glaze

design, White quartz clay, Jaipur

pottery in Jaipur. At the famed Calcutta International Exhibition of 188384 and the

School of Art, late 19th century, Acc No N381

Jaipur Exhibition of 1883, Jaipur School of Art won several awards for fine specimens of pottery, and soon after, Jaipur’s blue pottery became a flourishing industry. The museum began collecting both traditional and modern pottery from all pottery-making centres in India. This collection, catalogued by Hendley, makes the Albert Hall pottery collection one of the finest 19th-century collections in India.

Hendley had collected pottery and ceramics from Central Asia, Europe and the Far East. We have identified some superb specimens of Doulton, Wedgwood, Minton and Japanese Kinkosan pottery among these. The Hungarian pottery in the collection was discovered to be masterpieces of 19th-century Zsolnay pottery. Furthermore, an entire representative collection of Egyptian relics including bronze figures, terracotta objects, ceramics and jewellery, and an Egyptian mummy in its coffin, were acquired and are now on display. The collection of 19th-century stone sculptures of gods and sages appearing

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Egyptian mummy of a female, found at Akhmin, 322 BC, Acc No 10742

in the catalogues indicate that the art of stone sculpting was well-developed and had undoubtedly provided images for temples and homes throughout India. Stone carvings were also on display at the Jaipur Exhibition of 1883.

The other important name in the history of Albert Hall is that of Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, who designed and built the museum. He had come to Jaipur in 1867 to head the PWD, but made his mark in designing and building several important buildings including Naya Mahal. Jacob was asked to design and construct the memorial building in honour of the visiting Prince of Wales, Edward VII, who had laid the foundation stone for it in 1876.

With support of his chief overseer Tujumul Hoosein, artist Ram Baksh, draughtsmen Shanker Lal and Chote Lal, and principal masons Chander and Tara, Jacob set about building Albert Hall in 1881. He sent his staff to study Mughal monuments located in Delhi, Agra, and Fatehpur Sikri to gain inspiration in producing the best designs—both Mughal and Rajput. The magnificent structure, which was completed in 1886, was done in the best of Indo-Saracenic traditions.

The royal durbar decided that Albert Hall would become a permanent home for Hendley’s collection of industrial arts and so the museum moved out of its temporary accomodation at Naya Mahal to the Albert Hall in Ram Niwas Bagh. By February 1887, the new museum was ready for its inauguration and was itself an intrinsic part of the display as it represented architectural designs, both local and Mughal. The structure— pillars, brackets, arches and ornamentation—was representative of the art of stone carving, serving as examples of the art without requiring a gallery display. The School of Art went on to publish 12 portfolios, replete with designs of plinths, columns, doors, brackets, arches, balustrades, chhatris, cenotaphs, and jharokas, decorated parapets, and incorporating almost every facet of Mughal and Rajput buildings. These became valuable reference material for architects and designers.

Yet another unique element of Albert Hall is the murals representing the different civilizations of the world. The Indian themes in these murals include illustrations of the Ramayana from Razmnama, and the frescos of the Ajanta caves. European, GrecoRoman, Babylonian, Far Eastern and Pharaonic civilizations are also represented. The courtyards and corridors are replete with aphorisms and quotations of poets, sages and philosophers.

In the light of this historical backdrop, the museum is indeed an inheritance from the past. These arts, as they have developed today, owe much to the noble efforts of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II and Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, and to Hendley and Jacob.

Khanda, ornate sword, with embossed figure of

Among those visiting the renovated museum, the tourist would have a glimpse of the

goddess Kali and inscription

entire range of industrial arts of the 19th century; the artisan would have a unique

in Devnagari, Rajasthan, 18th century, L 101.60 cm,

opportunity to study rare examples of the finest workmanship, possibly even be inspired

Acc No N/1148

to experiment and reintroduce what may now be antiquated; the historian could register 10

inspirations of an earlier age; the student of art and crafts could research speciďŹ c areas of interest; and the artist and aesthete could simply sit back and enjoy art and culture at its best.

It is appropriate to acknowledge the leadership and guidance provided to the project by successive secretaries of art and culture of the Government of Rajasthan. In the initial phase, Ashok Shekhar successfully grappled with the seemingly endless issues and problems, which appeared insurmountable at the time. The succeeding Secretary of Art and Culture, Salauddin Ahmad, carried the project foreword with visionary zeal and determination, overcoming all obstacles to its successful culmination. In this he was ably assisted by the remarkable energy of B L Gupta, Director, Department of Archaeology and Museums, coordinating the worthy eorts of a diverse team of experts, engineers and artisans, and attending to administrative minutiae. We also relied on the invaluable support and expertise of the eminent art historian and museologist, Dr Chandramani Singh, Director at Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, for historical detail and accuracy, and Kristine Michael for her encyclopedic knowledge of Indian pottery. We are indebted to all the eminent members of Rajasthan State Museums and Monuments Management and Development Society, particularly Apurv Kumar, R K Poddar, Pramod Kasliwal and B G Sharma for their individual expertise and enthusiastic participation in the project.

We are also fortunate in having a young, dynamic and dedicated curator in Rakesh Chholak, who showed amazing skill in translating ideas for design, decor and display of objects, from the drawing board into faithful actuality, almost instantly, as if with a magic wand.

Indrajit Singh Masuda

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ALBERT HALL A 19th Century Museum In Historical Perspective

A treasure house of the 19th-century arts and crafts, the Albert Hall located in Ram Niwas Bagh in Jaipur, Rajasthan, reopened in July 2008 after being renovated. It is one of the few museums of the 19th century which was set up in the line of world-class.

The terms “applied arts”, “decorative arts”, and sometimes “minor arts” are used today for the 19th-century term, “industrial arts”. This is why the Albert Hall museum was known as the Industrial Arts Museum. The original name is no longer in use now, but the black marble letters inlaid on a white background reminds us that the original name was neither Central Museum nor Albert Hall, as we call it today.

The foundation of the museum was laid during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh II (r 183580) of the princely Jaipur state—known as Jeypore then—and was completed during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II (r 18801922). Ram Singh was an enlightened ruler, and much of today’s Jaipur owes its character to his contribution.

Jaipur is said to be the first planned city of India and one of the best planned cities of the world. Ram Singh built the first college, hospital and the first public park, and also set up a school for arts and crafts.

The maharaja wanted to promote Jaipur’s rich tradition of crafts through a special school where the teaching was to be of a practical nature completely. The school was to be supplied with resources such as drawings, models and chemical apparatus, and was to possess a museum. The museum, which was to serve as a library also, was meant to contain samples and specimens for the study of natural history, mineralogy and practical geology.

The museum’s founders collected the best examples of every craft, and whatever was not available, they got it made. Colonel Thomas H Hendley, a surgeon of the Indian Medical Services, was assigned the task. However, the maharaja soon realised that a separate museum for the public, and not merely a visual library for students, was required. He wanted the people of the Jaipur state to be acquainted with their rich heritage; for visitors to have a glimpse of the beautiful objects made in the state; and for students to know the art history of the region and have a ready-reference of it.

By the time the Albert Hall was built, Ram Singh II had passed away. Madho Singh, his adopted son and successor, took great interest in this work and the museum was formally opened in 1887.

Facing page Front view with its 19th century original signage, "Industrial Museum", in marble.

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In the beginning, the collection included different types of calico printing; brass work; stone work; beautiful examples of Jaipur jewellery, especially garnet-studded ornaments, and enamelled work; stone carving; charming clay figurines depicting craftsman at their work; replicas of Western statues; and above all, an Egyptian mummy.

Katar, a dagger, decorated with relief work on blade and handle, Rajasthan, 18th century, L 45.70 cm, Acc No N/1156

The collection started with an exhibition held in Jaipur in 1883, where decorative arts were displayed. This effort received attention and appreciation from many quarters.

The Times newspaper (20 September 1883) in London commented that the Maharaja of Jaipur “set an example which has produced a most excellent effect on popular opinion generally, both by encouraging Native Princes and Chiefs to exhibit their treasures and by inducing the labourers and artisans to inspect the improved methods and the highest forms of production in their different crafts and profession.” A total of 248 medals made of gold, silver and bronze, and certificates, were awarded at the end of the exhibition.

To commemorate the occasion, the Journal of Indian Art and Industry brought out a special issue in April 1884 with a number of coloured illustrations. Praising the dynamic trio—the Maharaja of Jaipur, T H Hendley, and S S Jacob—the editor wrote: “The very great impulse which has been given to the promotion of art manufactures in Central India and Rajputana, by the generous encouragement of H H the Maharaja of Jeypore, must not remain unnoticed by us... The Maharaja has been fortunate in having by his side two able and enthusiastic coadjusters, Surgeon-Major T H Hendley and Colonel Jacob, who are both widely known throughout India as earnest and interested workers in the field of progress... In 1883 T H Hendley organised a most successful exhibition of Jeypore. Chiefly of artware and ornamental fabrics from the Native Stores in the neighbourhood, Jeypore of course being the most prominent, a paper on which,

by Surgeon Major T H Hendley was published in our second issue. But the work did not end… H H the Maharaja permitted four volumes to be prepared in which coloured and photographic representations of many of the most valuable and artistic exhibits are brought together.”

The British government in India drafted a scheme to preserve and protect traditional Indian arts and crafts and for this purpose, any district, in which an industrial art of a special character was present, was instructed to appoint a local committee for operational control. The functions of the local committee was to ascertain the conditions under which the industrial art was conducted; to examine the specimen and to select those of the best form, pattern or manufacture; to form a local museum for storing the selected

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specimen; to establish schools for arts and craft and provide resources for them; and to hold exhibitions or offer prizes to encourage the artisans.

A number of brass utensils and other metal works were acquired for the Albert Hall in the last decade of the 19th century. Some of these were replicas of the Jaipur exhibits which were displayed at Imperial Institute in London (which later became the Commonwealth Institute), and others were purchased at the Punjab Exhibition of 189394 in Lahore.

The museum building, constructed with marble and stone, is itself a work of art.

It was specifically designed to be a museum, and not many 19th-century museums in the world can boast of this distinction. To a specialist in the study of museums, the Albert Hall building is of great interest, as it demonstrates the standards of contemporary taste and also shows the purpose of a museum—to be a house of curious objects. The outer walls of the building are painted with scenes from ancient civilizations: Greece, Egypt, China and India. Inscribed on the upper part of the courtyard are extracts from religious texts like Quran, Bible and Indian epics.

The most interesting and colourful attractions are the six scenes from Ramayana

Painted basin with stand, Brass,

and Mahabharata, executed on the wall. The six-panel set depicts Raja Yudhishtira playing

19th century, H 120 cm,

dice, abduction of the white horse, svayamvara ceremony of Damayanti, sacrifice of

Acc No N/1058

Moradhvaja, burning of Lanka, and marriage of Bikhya with Chandrahas. These are copied from Razmnama, the 16th-century Persian translation of Mahabharata, illustrated

Folio, battle between Krishna and Jarasandha, from Bhagavata

Purana, Bikaner, 18th century, 30.50 x 36.80 cm, Acc No 2778

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in Mughal style. The original illustrations were done by master artists in Akbar’s atelier: Bhagwan, Tulsi, Tara, Ramdas, Lal, Basawan and Miskin. The 19th century copyists were Murali, Kishan and Jagannath.

The Albert Hall grew gradually and a part of its story is captured through the writings of Rudyard Kipling in Journal of Indian Art and Industry, dated 5 January 1885: “….a wonder of carved white tone of the Indo-Saracenic style. It stood on a stone plinth, and was rich in stone tracery, green marble columns from Ajmir, red marble, white marble, colonnade, courts with fountains, richly carved wooden doors, frescoes, inlay, and colour. The ornamentation of the tombs of Delhi, the palaces of Agra, and the walls of Amber have been laid under contribution to supply the designs in bracket, arch, and soffit; and stone-masons from the Jeypore School of Art have woven into the work the best that their hands could produce. The building in essence if not in the fact of today is the work of Freemasons. The men were allowed a certain scope in their choice of detail...

But it should be seen to be understood, as it stands in those Imperial gardens. Every foot of it, from the domes of the roof to the cool green chunam (quicklime) dadoes and the carving of the rims of the fountains in the courtyard, was worth studying.”

In another long passage which was written shortly after the museum was opened, Kipling describes the inside of the museum: “Internally, there is, in all honesty, no limit to the luxury of the Jeypore Museum. It reveals in ‘South Kensington’ cases—of the approved pattern—that turn the beholder homesick, and South Kensington labels, whereon the description, measurements, and price of each object are fairly printed. These make savage one who knows how labelling Surahi, pot, lacquered in red, black and yellow colours, Jaipur, 19th century, H 23.50 cm, Acc No 9352

is bungled in some of the Government Museums—our starved barns that are supposed to hold the economic exhibits, not of little States, but of great Provinces... The floors are of dark red chunam, overlaid with a discreet and silent matting; the doors, where they are not plate-glass, are of carved wood, no two alike, hinged by sumptuous brass hinges on to marble jambs and opening without noise. On the carved marble pillars of each hall are fixed revolving cases of the S K M pattern to show textile fabrics, gold lace and the like. In the recesses of the walls are more cases, and on the railing of the gallery that runs round each of the three great central rooms are fixed low cases to hold natural history specimens and models of fruits and vegetables…The system of the Museum is complete in intention, as are its appointments in design.

At present there are some fifteen thousand objects of art, covering a complete exposition of the arts, enamels to pottery and from brass ware to stone-carving, of the State of Jeypore. They are compared with similar arts of other lands. Thus a Damio’s sword—a gem of lacquerplated silk and stud-work—flanks the tulwars (swords) of Marwar and the jezails (muskets) of Tonk; and reproductions of Persian and Russian brass-work stand side by side with the handicrafts of the pupils of the Jeypore School of Art.”

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In 1909, Lt Colonel H L Showers, in Notes on Jeypore, reported an average yearly attendance of 2,52,000 persons at Albert Hall, a large number in those days.

He also gave the following account of the exhibits: “The Industrial Art Exhibits are arranged on the ground floor. The first room contains examples of metal ware. In the floor cases are shown those articles which require minute examination, while the wall cases are generally reserved for such objects as are interesting for their forms, or to complete the history of a particular branch of the Art. The textiles displayed in these cases, and in the wall and revolving frames, are all enriched with metal. The first case on the right contains a synoptic or key collection of Indian Arms, because nearly all decoration in India was first applied to the ornamentation of weapons. In one of the cases electrotypes of rare and choice examples of metal work from foreign countries and of different periods, are exhibited, with the view of showing the Jeypore artists what have been considered

Ghaghara, heavy skirt worn

masterpieces in passages, and in parts of the world outside India’’. Showers also described

by women, Cotton, printed,

the various objects displayed in the museum gallery. His description shows that a zoological section was added, and the upper floor was “set apart for the educational, scientific and economic sections’’.

Over the years, a sea change has taken place in techniques and research in the field of museology, which has brought forth new ideas and methods. The century-old princely structure was taken up for renovation with the help of modern museology techniques. It remained closed from December 2006, for about 14 months, and re-opened on Tuesday, 1 July 2008. The museum now has new and better-lit galleries. A large number of masterpieces collected from other important museums of Rajasthan have been brought and displayed. These include manuscripts and paintings from Udaipur, and firearms from Bharatpur that belong to 17th and 18th centuries.

Modern technology has been put to use, including use of audio guides in different languages, and through photo documentation and digitization of the museum collection.

The collection has been interpreted with the help of informative captions in easy-tounderstand language, enhancing the learning experience of visitors. A restaurant, a souvenir shop and parking facilities have been introduced to make the museum more visitor-friendly.

The Albert Hall museum today, is a delightful combination of a 19th century heritage building and the best of modern museum technology.

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Jaipur, 18th century, L 76 cm, Acc No N/979

ENIGMATIC DISCOVERIES Material Culture of Sambhar and Rairh

lbert Hall has a small but exquisite collection of excavated relics, especially terra-

A

cotta sculpture, of two early historical sites—Sambhar and Rairh—situated in the

vicinity of Jaipur. Most of the other excavated antiquities from these sites are now kept in the Sawai Man Singh Town Hall.

Sambhar Sambhar, ancient Sakambhari, capital of imperial Chahamana, is vividly mentioned in inscriptions and ancient literature.

The site’s fairly large mound measuring 600 m x 550 m is located on the bank of the famous salt lake at Sambhar.

A report of a small-scale excavation conducted here in 1884 Mother Goddess, Terracotta, Kushana period, Sambhar,

by T H Hendley was published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. This excavation

1st century AD, 28.5 x 10 cm,

was unscientific, and the structures of houses along

Acc No 24=62

with artifacts found, like terracotta sculptures, coins, Two-armed standing figure

seals and boxes, led Hendley to believe that Sambhar

of a lady, hand modelled in round and treated with

was a Buddhist site. A clay stupa, a steatite stupa and

techniques of appliqué and

an hour-glass clay seal are important among the list

pinching. She wears a ear-stud,

of antiquities that were published. A pottery seal with

a pada-valaya, anklet and coiled-girdle, and her hair

seven impressions and a terracotta figurine of an ape

is tied into a bun with a fillet

deserve special mention.

and her head is decked with jewellery. She holds a drum-

Nearly 50 years later, a large-scale excavation done in

like object in her left hand and an unidentifiable object in the

two field seasons by Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahni,

right one. Her neck, right hand

director of archaeology and historical research for the

and legs are broken, but have been joined together. The

Jaipur state, concluded that Sambhar had no Buddhist association. His excavations revealed six stages of

sculpture was treated with red wash before firing.

occupation, ranging between third century BC and tenth century AD. The remains of 45 brick dwellings were found, with central courtyards, surrounded by rooms. A large number of pottery, stoneware, terracotta figurines

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of human and animal forms, seals, inscribed plaques, circular decorated discs, dabbers and terracotta toy-cart wheels were found in the remains. Coins belonging to the Indo-Greek ruler Antimachos Nikephoros, gold and copper objects, iron implements, bone and ivory objects, and beads of semi-precious stones belonging to Kushana (first to third century AD), Yaudheya (second to third century AD) and Indo-Sasanian (AD 500‒1200) periods are noteworthy.

The large collection of pottery is in plain red and grey colours. Some sherds are decorated with stamped designs like swastika, rosettes and scroll.

The fragment of a jar handle, shaped like a woman’s torso, is the most important finding of Sambhar, which is assignable to the Gupta period (fourth century BC to fifth century AD). Terracotta figurines which are datable to Sunga-Kushana and Gupta periods, and early medieval sculptures of Brahmanical pantheon have also been found. Mythical figures of Yaksha and Yakshi, resembling figures on railing pillars of Mathura, also belong to the Kushana period. Two terracotta plaques of the Gupta period depicting mythological characters Rati and Kamadeva, and a human male playing a musical

Rati and Kamadeva, Terracotta,

instrument, are worth notice. A drab baked cone-shaped pottery seal bearing a nandya-

Gupta period, Sambhar,

varta, combined trident and wheel symbol, is assignable to the Gupta period. Tribal copper coins of Yaudheya and Arjunayana (second to third century AD) periods have also been reported.

5th century AD, 10.5 x 8 cm, Acc No 5-62 (NS-2038) Terracotta plaque depicting Rati and Kamadeva standing side by side. Rati on the left

Rairh

of Kamadeva is in charming

Rairh is one of the earliest historical sites of Rajasthan, and is situated on the right

posture with full bosom.

She wears a coiffeur decked

bank of a seasonal rivulet, Dhil. The site was first visited by A C L Carlleyle in 1871 and

with flowers, a necklace, ear

about 6000 coins, including those of Malava period (first to fourth century AD), were

ornaments, bangle and broadjewelled kati-mekhala, girdle.

discovered. Rairh drew the attention of archaeologists after a chance discovery of 326

She holds a flower bud in her

punch-marked silver coins in 1936, leading to excavations by Rai Bahadur Sahni in

right hand and her left hand is

1938‒39 and by K N Puri in 1939‒40.

held in akimbo. The figure of Kamadeva is mutilated, broken above the navel and below the

Three successive periods of structural activities were discovered. There is no clear sign

knee. He wears a rope-like

of town planning in the first period and the houses found were of mud, and of bricks.

girdle, and a garment pleated

Remnants of extensive town planning and a large number of tiles, terracotta finials and

between this legs. He carries a broken staff diagonally,

ring-wells are attributed to the second phase of occupation. The excavations yielded

seen in the front. The figure

a large number of punch-marked coins made of silver and copper, Malava coins, and

is analogous to the terracotta

seals and sealings. Terracotta objects such as beads, toys and figurines; jewellery such

figures reported from Kosam

as bangles and ear-pendants; objects made with iron, bone and ivory; and semi-precious stones, and stoneware were found here. A terracotta mother goddess, one fragment of

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near Allahabad, which are datable to mid-fifth century AD.

Horse rider, Terracotta, Sunga period, Rairh, 2nd century BC, 17 x 15 cm,

a bowl made of Chunar sandstone bearing typical Mauryan polish, and a rectangular copper coin bearing an inscription in Brahmi script are mention-worthy.

Acc No 3=62 (R-1172) Hand-modelled terracotta

Although the site was occupied over three successive periods, datable to third century

figure of a horse rider. The

BC until the close of second century AD, the forms of pottery remained similar. Ceramic

bridle and reins of the horse

tableware such as bowls, cups, dishes, lids, vases of different sizes along with Ahichchhtra-

are made of clay strips, with appliqué technique. The mane

10A type of vases, lota, beakers and channeled bowls were also found on the site, which

is shown in the form of a ridge.

are datable to third century BC to first century AD. The pottery was plain, occasionally

The crudely made horse rider is

treated with wash, and stamped with swastika and auspicious Buddhist symbols of

stuck on the back of the horse, holding reins, bending towards front. The legs of the rider are

nandipada, cow hoof, the Brahmi letter ma on the wheel and the triratna in relief. The letter ma was found in combination with other symbols on pot-sherds and also on seals.

not shown properly. He wears a large and ornamented headgear. The left fore leg of

A large quantity of lathe-made stone vessels was discovered from the site. Small in size,

the horse is broken and hind

they are very similar to the relic caskets found from Buddhist stupas for the enshrinement

leg is missing. The figure is

of body relics. The most important finding was the five hoards of silver punch-marked

painted with red dots and is

coins, a total of 3075, bearing primitive symbols of the Malava period. Non-inscribed

somewhat similar to the figures on the gateway of the Bharhut

cast coins of Mitra (first to second century AD) and Malava (first to fourth century AD)

stupa of the second century BC.

periods were also found on the surface.

The large variety of terracotta figurines of mother goddess, mythological characters Yaksha and Yakshi and other gods, are another striking feature of the site. A terracotta fragment belonging to the Sunga period, depicting a woman wearing a necklace with a three-barrel shaped pendant, bangles, a turban covering her hair, and a veni, double braided plait, on her back, is one of the finest pieces of Rairh. Such a rich repertoire certainly indicates that Rairh was a very important town of the early historical period.

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Woman with turban, Terracotta, Sunga period, Rairh, 2nd century BC, 7 x 5 cm, Acc No 34=65 Bust of lady, modelled in round, similar to stone sculptures. The shape of turban and necklace is typical of Sunga style, which is meticulously executed with incision technique. She is shown having full bossomed body and narrow waist and wearing a turban over her head, a kundala, bangle, jewelled necklace and round ornament over her forehead. Two veni, long plaits, interlaced beautifully, are touching her hip. The sculpture’s left hand and body are broken below the navel.

21

CHISELLED MARVELS A Visual Feast of Stone Sculptures

T

he stone sculptures displayed at the Albert Hall museum present a feast, taking viewers on a journey through centuries, in the realm of the plastic arts of the state.

About two dozen icons of mythological figures in different states of preservation are on exhibit in the museum, ranging from the late Kushana to the medieval period (Third– 18th century AD).

It was during the Kushana era that two schools of art flourished simultaneously—at Mathura in eastern India and at Gandhara in the northwest, including regions now in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Gandhara school utilized the schist or slate stone and was fascinated with Buddhist themes. There are three images belonging to the Gandhara idiom displayed at Albert Hall—two of Buddha and one of Bodhisattva (Buddha in a past birth). The Bodhisattva is preserved better and shows the characteristic Gandharan features of heavy drapery with multiple folds, wavy hair, moustaches, broad torque, necklace and typical sacred thread.

The impact of the Mathura school in the delineation of the face, which generally betrays alien features in the Gandhara school, is clearly discernible.

22

Left Saptamatrika panel, Grey sandstone, Abaneri, 8th century, Acc No 15/64/64 This image is a fine illustration of dance and beauty, marked by lyrical idiom and the fluency of female forms, all handled with a masterly restraint.

Very few sculptures attain the perfection and lyrical rhythm witnessed here.

Below Shiva head, Greenishblue schist, Bansi, 8th century, Acc No 145/66 This lovely head having a beautiful coiffure with combed hair, side curls and matted locks, is adorned with jewels. The serene countenance shows the maturity of the chisel work attained by the sculptors of Mewar in the early medieval period.

The gigantic Yakshi in buff sandstone displayed in the museum, obtained from the river-bed near Man Mandir in Varanasi, is an icon belonging to the 4th century. The Yaksha and Yakshi were vegetal spirits and village deities that were worshipped independently, and which were later absorbed into Buddhism. The earliest independent images of India represent these divinities. A knobbed lid-like topknot on combed hair, rope-like torque, long garland running down from over the left shoulder to the right knee and back, and dhoti secured by a waist girdle adorned with a chain are the characteristic features of the sculpture.

The eighth-century head of Shiva from Bansi, carved out of greenishblue schist, depicting a beatific countenance and elaborate coiffure, and having a vertical third eye on the forehead, is an elegant piece from Mewar.

It was sent for an exhibition titled Manifestation of Shiva in Philadelphia, USA in 1981.

Sculptures from Abaneri are also exhibited. The fragmentary Saptamatrika, seven mothers, frieze is a rare beauty. It contains two divisions separated

23

Ravananugrahamurti, Sandstone, Abaneri, 8th–9th century, Acc No 14/59/64 This complicated relief illustrates a story of Shiva and Ravana. Ravana shook the Kailasha mountain at the time that the divine couple Shiva and Uma were in dalliance, frightening Uma. Shiva made the mountain unbearably heavy with the touch of his toe.

by a ribbed pilaster, showing Vinadhara Shiva in the company of six dancing ďŹ gures: Maheshwari holding the trident; Vaishnavi with a conch; Shiva holding the lute, trident and snake; the sow-headed Varahi holding a skull-headed mace; Kaumari holding a lance and cock, from left to right in the left division; and Aindri holding a thunderbolt with her elephant mount at her right foot; Chamunda holding a sword, dumb-bell, cup and skull-headed mace in her four hands, dancing over a corpse, and a jackal jumping to have drops of blood trickling from her cup, in the right division. This panel was exhibited in the Festival of India in London in 1982.

The tricephalous Karttikeya, with three faces at the back to be presumed of the six-headed god, in a niche between two ribbed pilasters, is a masterpiece of the early Pratihara art of Abaneri. He is seated gracefully on his mount, a peacock, and is surmounted by garland-bearing semi-celestials called vidyadharas, seated on the backs of mythical crocodiles whose tails form an ornamental arch over the heads of the god.

24

The Ravananugrahamurti is a statue depicting the theme of the ten-headed Ravana shaking the Kailasha mountain, frightening Uma who was in dalliance with Shiva. The consequent chastising of the demon by the god, by making the mountain unbearably heavy with the touch of a toe, is beautifully shown in this relief from Abaneri. This image was sent to the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1981. The goddess Durga is shown slaying the buffalodemon, Mahisha, in a similar niche between two square pilasters. This sculpture has decorative motifs of the vaseand-foliage at the base, and a kirttimukha, face of glory, at the top. It shows excellent chisel work and mastery of the craftsman in portraying complicated postures. This image was sent to Paris in 1978 for the Indian Art Exhibition.

The emaciated, hideous figure of Chamunda, who was born out of the wrathful frowns of Durga to kill the demons Chanda and Munda, shows the beauty of depicting ugliness that the artists could create in the Pratihara period. She has a yawning mouth, hanging breasts, a skull garland with one skull in her matted locks, snake ornaments, and she holds deadly weapons, which are now badly broken. This icon is from the village Ravan near Baghru in Jaipur.

The tenth-century Vinadhara Shiva from Sambhar must have been an elegant image when it was complete. A contemporary Vamana figure from the same place, holding a rosary and a conch in the normal hands, its

Chamunda, Sandstone,

additional hands now broken, is flanked by personified attributes and female attendants.

Baghru, 9th–10th century,

It is a good example of the proportions maintained by sculptors.

Acc No 72/3, Serial No 82 Conforming to a typical style developed in the Pratihara

The episode of the dwarfish Vamana approaching King Bali and demanding three steps

period, this image of the horrific

of land from him, then upon securing the king’s word, assuming a gigantic form to take

goddess with yawning mouth,

three steps and covering the three worlds, is however, well depicted in another icon.

skull tucked in her coiffure and

This is the Trivikrama image, which is on display in the museum. Trivikrama holding a

wearing anguine ornaments, betrays the beauty of ugliness

conch, discus and mace in his three hands, with the fourth pointing to the sky, is shown

that the artist achieved through

taking a step to cover the entire terrestrial space. The head of Rahu is at his right foot,

his own expressionism.

under which is depicted King Bali offering Vamana a pot of water, and Shukra trying to dissuade Bali from doing so. A lotiform nimbus covers the whole space behind. The depiction of the long mace, enface wheel and sparse jewellery, which are early features, are evident in this image.

The therianthropic Varaha from Mahuwa is another attractive icon. It depicts the god Vishnu assuming the form of a boar to rescue the Earth Goddess from the demon Hiranyaksha. The lotus face of the goddess provides singularity to this 11th–12th century figure.

25

Left Bodhisattva, Black stone,

Above Vinadhara Shiva,

Gandhara (Peshawar),

Sandstone, Sambhar,

3rd–4th century, Acc No 11191

10th century, Acc No 11207

This standing figure of

A badly mutilated relief

Bodhisattva is a good example

with elegant bends of head,

of the style that the artists of

torso and legs in a rhythmic

Gandhara developed during the

movement, free flow of limbs

Kushana period. The influence

and ecstatic facial expression,

from Mathura is evident in the

this icon radiates the grace in

otherwise alien physiognomy

the vigour of the cosmic dance

of this school.

expected of the great master of arts and dance—Shiva.

26

Left Yakshi, Buff sandstone,

Above Trivikrama, Buff

Ganga river bed near Man

sandstone, 9th century,

Mandir, Varanasi, 4th century,

Acc No 383

Acc No 55 = 64/2019

The diagonal disposition of

A carved image showing frontal

the legs, with the right leg

pose. Its larger-than-life size,

placed firmly on earth and

heavy oval face with open eyes,

the left one engulfing the mid-

chain-like ear ornaments,

world, portrays the strength

rotund breasts, and rope-like

and weakness of the early

torque characterize this image

medieval sculptors. The

despite evidence of traits of the

tenderness and serenity of

Gupta era.

expression on the worn-out faces betrays inherent rigidity.

The portrayal of movement has become static in stone.

27

The icon from Sirohi, a tricephalous Brahmani in marble, with an elaborate coiffure and ornamentation, is seen standing with her right leg slightly bent. Although a very attractive sculpture, it is unfortunately broken below the knees. The breakage and her stance indicate that the goddess held a ladle in one of her right hands, and a lotus and book in two left hands, with the third probably supporting a water pot.

This 11th-century figure shows elegant modelling, refined chisel work and fullness of mass.

There are five images of Vishnu in black stone, all depicting the elaborate costume and ornaments of the god, who is carrying a conch, wheel, mace and lotus in four hands. The images depict personified attributes and attendant figures, with Brahma and Shiva occupying the steles that flank the head, and a gloriole behind. These images of Vishnu have suffered mutilation. One image shows the different incarnations of the god and planetary divinities on the back slab. The one best preserved is from Sanganer, which shows Vishnu holding a rosary instead of the lotus in his right hand, the legendary arm for granting boons. A tall mace is in the back right hand, and the conch and wheel in the corresponding left hands. The icon’s eyes are contempla-tive and the body is adorned with ornaments. Brahma and Shiva are shown in the steles flanking his head. Personified mythological characters, Sankhapurusha and Chakrapurusha, are seen Brahmani, Marble, Sirohi,

standing at the god’s feet and are followed by other acolyte figures, including the

11th century, Acc No Cmj 33/65

anthropomorphic Garuda with folded hands.

The image, with serene faces and elaborate coiffure and jewellery, shows extravagance

There are two doorjambs of a tenth-century temple, consisting of bands of vegetal

and elaboration which had set

and floral motifs, and Naga and Mithuna images with river goddesses accompanied

in during the 11th century. At

by attendant figures in the lower portions, on display. A larger-than-life 11th-century

the same time, it also shows

image of Muni Suvratanatha, the 20th Jaina tirthankara, fordmaker, in black stone

the contemporary styles of drapery and ornamentation.

from Narhad, is the other attraction in the museum.

The black stone sculpture from Chaksu showing Narayana with Lakshmi, seated on the anthropomorphic Garuda with the ornamental arch, has intricately carved panels of Vishnu’s incarnations around the main image. This icon acquaints us with the declining iconographic art in the 15th century.

28

Vishnu, Black stone, Sanganer, 12th century, Acc No 66/65 The frontal form of Vishnu, with four hands, Brahma and Shiva occupying the steles, and acolyte figures flanking him, is the conventional form of the supreme god of the Hindu trinity. It was the contemporary style and the ingenuity of the individual artists that distinguished the grace and beauty of the images.

29

Above Karttikeya, Sandstone,

Facing page

Abaneri, 8th century,

Mahishamardini Durga,

Acc No 13/69/19

Sandstone, Abaneri,

Reminiscent of the Gupta art tradition, this is one of

30

8th–9th century, Acc No 63/64

the loveliest reliefs of the war

A superb example of the

god, shown holding weapons

sculptor’s art at Abaneri, this

of combat like a sword, lance

icon shows the composition

and shield. The characteristic

of the main and adjunct figures

feature in Abaneri sculpture,

in a harmonious way, reflecting

of the foliated crocodile tails

the dynamism and vigour of

forming the ornamental arch

the demon-killing goddess.

with impressive lotiform

It emphasises rhythmic grace,

halo, is represented very

in spite of limited space

well in this relief.

between the pilasters.

31

IMAGINED REALMS Paintings and Drawings

he Albert Hall painting collection presently consists of over 1000 works on paper, of

T

which, approximately 200 are currently on display in three galleries on the upper

oor of the building. The paintings range in date, from late 16th to 19th century, and fall into several stylistic groups: colonial period watercolours of natural and anthropological subjects; a few classical early Indian styles; major Rajput qalams, drawings, including Jaipur, Mewar and Kota schools; and some earlier works from late-17th and 18th centuries, mainly of north Indian traditions.

The initial holdings of Albert Hall appear to have been largely the work of contemporary artists acquired by Hendley for the Jaipur Exhibition of 1883 and the Albert Hall collection. Among them were images of deities, studies of natives, natural subjects, and a series of copies on wood of the famous 16th-century Mughal Razmnama manuscript from the Jaipur royal collection in which Hendley had a special interest. These copies were reportedly the work of a painter named Ganesh, who was also responsible for some of the murals on the walls of the building. After India became independent and Albert Hall was designated Central Museum, eorts were made to develop the collection to be more representative of the many schools of Rajasthani painting; thus a fair number of acquisitions were made, particularly during 1960s. The collection has been further enhanced recently with paintings transferred over in 2007 from Government Museum, Udaipur.

32

Classical Indian painting

Above and facing page

A fine palm leaf manuscript from Orissa illustrating the Ramayana epic is a highlight

Detail of two palm leaf folios

of the Albert Hall collection. Such manuscripts had long thin folios, their proportions

from a Ramayana Tadapata, Orissa, c 1700 or later,

dictated by the shape of the palm leaf upon which the illustrations were incised in a

Acc No 77-1

fine black line. The persistent use of this medium, after the widespread introduction

Mughal influence may be

of paper into India, underscores the traditionalism of this eastern Indian school. Artists

seen in some of the costumes

used the linearity of the folios to unfold the narrative over each register for a particular

worn by male figures in this

episode. Nine folios in the Albert Hall collection depict a variety of courtly, battle, festive and outdoor scenes from the Ramayana, executed in a lively and detailed style. Several costumes, particularly those of some male figures in long jamas and small turbans, carrying round shields, show influences from the north Indian Mughal style. Based on such costume features, this series may be attributed to the late 17th century.

A Kalpasutra manuscript of the Jain tradition, datable to the 16th century, is among the painted works in the Albert Hall collection. Composed by Bhadrabahu approximately 150 years after the foundation of Jainism, many illustrated copies of this central canonical text were deposited in the bhandars, libraries, all over Gujarat and Rajasthan, endowed by nobles and royalty. The copy in Albert Hall is notable for the lavish use of gold in the execution of some of the paintings, and also for the red ground, both of the painting and the text—slightly more rare features than are commonly seen. The narrow horizontal format of such works is believed to have been derived from earlier palm leaf manuscripts.

33

otherwise classical palm-leaf style series illustrating the

Ramayana epic.

Rajasthani painting The practice of illustrating musical modes had become a well established tradition in Indian painting by late 17th century, with groups of 36 or larger individual folios forming a Ragamala, garland of song, series. One such partial set is in the museum collection, a number of folios of which are on display in the gallery. The paintings are finely executed with delicately rendered figures in a Mughal-influenced style, set in tiered compositions and a pale palette of green, red, white and areas of mauve, possibly of northern-Deccan inspiration. This Ragamala set has traditionally been attributed to Amber in the period of Mirza Raja Jai Singh (r 1621‒1667), which makes it a relatively rare representative of painting from this period. Other known works attributed to Amber relate stylistically with these, but the overall simplicity and classicism of this set indicate an earlier date.

From a later period at Jaipur are a series of large-format cartoons, possibly the basis for wall paintings, which were known at various centres. Depictions of Pratap Singh

A portrait of Pratap Singh, Jaipur, c 1790, Acc No 2609 A group of similar lightly tinted large cartoons depicting various members of the Jaipur royal family, was possibly the basis for wall paintings.

34

recognizable from the many portraits that exist of him, are among the group, which also contains proďŹ les of other members of the Jaipur ruling family. Maharaja Pratap Singh (r 1778‒1803), was the builder of the famous Hawa Mahal palace in Jaipur in 1799, which is represented in the Albert Hall collection by an architectural study of mid19th century. This rendering of Hawa Mahal and its surrounds is a sensitively executed watercolour, whose pale palette and delicate brushwork give the iconic building an ethereal character. The work must have been executed before the reported repainting of the city in its hallmark pink wash by Ram Singh II, on the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876. The lower section of the painting depicts a number of the city’s craftsmen at work with their tools set out before them.

Paintings from Mewar are represented in some strength in the Albert Hall collection, partly from the exchange that was agreed upon between the museum and the Government Museum of Udaipur in 2007, whereby a group of paintings were permanently transferred

From a Panchatantra series, Udaipur, c 1695, Acc No 1083 5/132 A monkey laughs at a man holding the tail of another monkey, mistaking it for a branch of a tree.

35

First published in India in 2009 by Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd. 10B Vidyanagar Society Part I Usmanpura, Ahmedabad 380 014 INDIA T: 91 79 2754 5390 | F: 2754 5392 E: mapin@mapinpub.com | www.mapinpub.com for Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan Albert Hall, Jaipur 302 004 INDIA http://museumsrajasthan.gov.in

Page 1 Salver showing scene of Garuda killing a lion-headed monster, Brass, Jaipur, 19th century, Acc No 2262 Page 2 Folio from a Ragamala series, Amber, c 1650, Acc No 1776/P-21 Page 3 Sculpture, Face of a charming damsel wearing beautiful ear-ornament, Terracotta,

Text and photographs Š Department of Archaeology and Museums, Government of Rajasthan, Jaipur All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

4th century, 15 x 11 cm, Acc No 3665 Page 4-5 Carved ivory, Gun powder container in

ISBN: 978-81-89995-26-3 (Mapin) ISBN: 978-1-890206-00-0 (Grantha) LCCN No. 2009923989

form of mermaid, gifted to the museum by the Maharaja of Jaipur, 19th century, Acc No 4993 Below Surahi, water bottle showing a battle scene, White quartz clay, Jaipur School of Art, late 19th century, Acc No 9182

Project Coordination & Copyediting: Vinutha Mallya/Mapin Editorial Design: Jalp Lakhia/Mapin Design Studio Colour corrections: Gopal Limbad/Mapin Design Studio Printed in India

“Throughout the book, coloured

photographs accompanied by deft descriptions entice readers to reach out and identify with Albert Hall’s collection.”

—The Book Review

CRAFTS

Treasures of the Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur Edited by Chandramani Singh

120 pages, 157 colour illustrations 9 x 12” (229 x 304 mm), hc ISBN: 978-81-89995-26-3 (Mapin) ISBN: 978-1-890206-00-0 (Grantha) ₹1295 | $35 | £23 2009 • World rights