The past few weeks have rather been busy for the Government Museum at Egmore. A lot of visitors have taken time to go to the recently reopened National Art Gallery (NAG) that had been closed for renovation for over a decade.
Commissioner of Museums M. Arvind says that on Saturday alone, 1,900 students and 110 foreigners had visited the museum. “We have moved 120 paintings from Contemporary Art Gallery to this gallery. The building, by itself, is beautiful and a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. It has been renovated with great care by the Public Works Department,” he says.
Sources in the Public Works Department say that the foundation for the Victoria Memorial Hall was laid by Prince of Wales George Frederik Ernest Albert on January 24, 1906, and it took three years for completion.
The two-storey NAG was constructed in 1909 and declared open by Sir Arthur Lawley, the then Governor of Madras. Henry Irwin was the architect. He chose the architecture of the Mughal period.
Intricate patterns
The building is a pink sandstone structure carved with intricate patterns. Film director Mani Rathnam chose to shoot the famous song, Konjam Nilavu, of the film Thiruda Thiruda, at the NAG, recalls an old timer.
G. Kalathi, curator of the art galleries at the museum, says the Memorial Hall had served as the headquarters of the Victoria Technical Institute. Lectures were also arranged periodically. The object was to help the art industry and encourage the artisans of south India. It was also intended to be a permanent place for exhibition and sale of artistic handicrafts of the Presidency, he says.
He adds that in 1942, the Army took over the building and after World War II, the government converted it into an art gallery. It was thrown open to members of the public in November 1951 by the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.
The building now houses paintings placed in a large hall, and bronze, ivory, and wooden objects in the three side rooms. Among the paintings, one can find 12 works by Raja Ravi Varma, including Lady with Mirror, Mother Preparing Vegetables, Sakunthala, and Yasodha Krishna. There are 10 Rajput miniatures, and among the Mughal art pieces are the paintings of Shah Jahan, Babar, and Aurangzeb.
Visitors can find artist D.P. Roy Chowdhury’s heart-wrenching works, including bronze sculptures, titled When Winter Comes and Victims of Hunger, at the NAG. This artist, the first principal of the Government Arts College, was the one who created the Labour Statue on the Marina Beach.
Work started in 2015
As part of the renovation, the PWD has provided continuous lintel, replaced the flooring, removed the damaged roof, relaid lime brick concrete, and constructed storm water drains. The heritage structure had settled unevenly. A total of ₹11 crore was allocated for renovation in May 2013. After due estimation, the work was entrusted to R. Krishnamurthy & Co. of Erode. The repairs started in June 2015. No separate ticket is needed for the NAG. The museum is open on all days, except Fridays, from 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
