TREASURESTREASURES OFOF THETHE ALBERTALBERT HALLHALL MUSEUMMUSEUM JAIPURJAIPUR EditedEdited byby ChandramaniChandramani SinghSingh
DepartmentDepartment ofof ArchaeologyArchaeology andand Museums,Museums, GovernmentGovernment ofof RajasthanRajasthan inin associationassociation withwith MapinMapin PublishingPublishing
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e e transformation transformation of of Albert Albert Hall Hall from from a a home home for for dioramas dioramas toto a a resurrection resurrection of of Colonel Colonel omas omas Holbein Holbein Hendley’s Hendley’s vision vision ofof creating creating an an industrial industrial arts arts museum, museum, took took several several years years of of multiplemultiple eff eff orts.orts. e e renovation renovation of of Albert Albert Hall—one Hall—one of of the the fi fi nestnest 19th-century19th-century museums,museums, curatedcurated byby HendleyHendley inin thethe latterlatter halfhalf ofof thatthat century—was century—was completed completed in in July July 2008. 2008. e e modernized modernized museummuseum retainsretains thethe spiritspirit ofof thethe original,original, yetyet takestakes advantageadvantage ofof thethe preceptsprecepts ofof modernmodern museologymuseology withwith thethe helphelp ofof techno-techno- logicallogical advancesadvances inin conservation,conservation, repairrepair andand restoration.restoration.
e e Albert Albert Hall Hall now now boasts boasts of of a a metal metal room, room, an an arms-and-armour arms-and-armour gallery,gallery, a a sculpture sculpture gallery, gallery, displays displays of of international international art, art, pottery, pottery, stonestone art, art, wood wood work, work, ivory, ivory, jewellery, jewellery, clay clay models, models, musical musical instruments,instruments, coins coins and and seals, seals, carpets, carpets, and and galleries galleries for for miniature miniature paintings.paintings. ManyMany ofof thethe originaloriginal wall-builtwall-built showcasesshowcases werewere builtbuilt byby Wimbridges Wimbridges in in Bombay, Bombay, which which were were modelled modelled on on the the lines lines of of showcasesshowcases atat thethe SouthSouth KensingtonKensington Museum,Museum, nownow knownknown asas V&AV&A Museum, Museum, in in London, London, have have been been retained retained to to house house the the display.display. e e collectioncollection isis complementedcomplemented withwith aa well-documentedwell-documented index,index, compiledcompiled withwith thethe helphelp ofof cataloguescatalogues andand thethe abundantabundant literatureliterature availableavailable onon craftscrafts ofof Jaipur.Jaipur. e e museummuseum hashas alsoalso introducedintroduced enhancedenhanced security;security; betterbetter signage,signage, andand lightinglighting andand audioaudio systems.systems.
AuthoritiesAuthorities onon museologymuseology atat thethe prestigioprestigiousus MetropolitanMetropolitan MuseumMuseum ofof ArtArt inin NewNew YorkYork DetailDetail of of an an ornately ornately carved carved pillar in Albert Hall. advisedadvised usus toto developdevelop aa themetheme forfor thethe museum.museum. e e renovationsrenovations havehave thusthus focusedfocused onon pillar in Albert Hall. highlightinghighlighting thethe industrialindustrial artsarts themetheme developeddeveloped byby HendleyHendley inin thethe 19th19th century.century.
AtAt thatthat time,time, JaipurJaipur waswas experiencingexperiencing aa progressionprogression fromfrom thethe feudalfeudal toto thethe modernmodern age,age, underunder thethe rulerule ofof thethe reformistreformist king,king, MaharajaMaharaja SawaiSawai RamRam SinghSingh IIII (r(r 183580),183580), andand hishis successor,successor, SawaiSawai MadhoMadho SinghSingh IIII (r(r 18801922).18801922). ItIt waswas thethe former’sformer’s visionvision whichwhich ledled toto settingsetting upup ofof JaipurJaipur SchoolSchool ofof ArtArt inin 18661866 forfor developingdeveloping thethe industrialindustrial artsarts ofof thethe time.time. SawaiSawai MadhoMadho SinghSingh IIII carriedcarried forwardforward thisthis vision,vision, andand allall otherother modernizationmodernization plansplans ofof hishis predecessor.predecessor. FacingFacing page page Side door of the main hall. The ItIt waswas inin thisthis atmosphereatmosphere ofof changechange andand reformreform thatthat omas omas HendleyHendley camecame toto JaipurJaipur Side door of the main hall. The archarch and and upper upper part part of of the the door door as the residency surgeon, as did Samuel Swinton Jacob, a young military engineer, who as the residency surgeon, as did Samuel Swinton Jacob, a young military engineer, who havehave glass glass painted painted in in white, white, and and camecame toto headhead thethe newnew publicpublic worksworks departmentdepartment (PWD)(PWD) whichwhich waswas setset upup inin 1860.1860. ey ey lowerlower part part is is intricately intricately carved. carved.
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Untitled-1 6 4/30/2010 10:08:02 AM Untitled-1 7 4/30/2010 10:08:02 AM in inthe the catalogues catalogues indicate indicate that that the the art art of ofstone stone sculpting sculpting was was well-developed well-developed and and had had inspirations of an earlier age; the student of art and crafts could research specifi c areas undoubtedlyundoubtedly provided provided images images for for temples temples and and homes homes throughout throughout India. India. Stone Stone carvings carvings of interest; and the artist and aesthete could simply sit back and enjoy art and culture werewere also also on on display display at atthe the Jaipur Jaipur Exhibition Exhibition of of1883. 1883. at its best.
e other e other important important name name in inthe the history history of ofAlbert Albert Hall Hall is isthat that of ofSir Sir Samuel Samuel Swinton Swinton It is appropriate to acknowledge the leadership and guidance provided to the project by Jacob,Jacob, who who designed designed and and built built the the museum. museum. He He had had come come to toJaipur Jaipur in in1867 1867 to tohead head the the successive secretaries of art and culture of the Government of Rajasthan. In the initial PWD,PWD, but but made made his his mark mark in indesigning designing and and building building several several important important buildings buildings including including phase, Ashok Shekhar successfully grappled with the seemingly endless issues and NayaNaya Mahal. Mahal. Jacob Jacob was was asked asked to todesign design and and construct construct the the memorial memorial building building in inhonour honour of of problems, which appeared insurmountable at the time. e succeeding Secretary of Art thethe visiting visiting Prince Prince of ofWales, Wales, Edward Edward VII, VII, who who had had laid laid the the foundation foundation stone stone for for it init in1876. 1876. and Culture, Salauddin Ahmad, carried the project foreword with visionary zeal and WithWith support support of ofhis his chief chief overseer overseer Tujumul Tujumul Hoosein, Hoosein, artist artist Ram Ram Baksh, Baksh, draughtsmen draughtsmen determination, overcoming all obstacles to its successful culmination. In this he was ably ShankerShanker Lal Lal and and Chote Chote Lal, Lal, and and principal principal masons masons Chander Chander and and Tara, Tara, Jacob Jacob set set about about assisted by the remarkable energy of B L Gupta, Director, Department of Archaeology buildingbuilding Albert Albert Hall Hall in in1881. 1881. He He sent sent his his staff staff to tostudy study Mughal Mughal monuments monuments located located in in and Museums, coordinating the worthy eff orts of a diverse team of experts, engineers Delhi,Delhi, Agra, Agra, and and Fatehpur Fatehpur Sikri Sikri to togain gain inspiration inspiration in inproducing producing the the best best designs—both designs—both and artisans, and attending to administrative minutiae. We also relied on the invaluable MughalMughal and and Rajput. Rajput. e magnifi e magnifi cent cent structure, structure, which which was was completed completed in in1886, 1886, was was done done support and expertise of the eminent art historian and museologist, Dr Chandramani in inthe the best best of ofIndo-Saracenic Indo-Saracenic traditions. traditions. 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 e eroyal royal durbar durbar decided decided that that Albert Albert Hall Hall would would become become a a permanent permanent home home for for all the eminent members of Rajasthan State Museums and Monuments Management Hendley’sHendley’s collection collection of ofindustrial industrial arts arts an and sod so the the museum museum moved moved out out of ofits its temporary temporary and Development Society, particularly Apurv Kumar, R K Poddar, Pramod Kasliwal and accomodationaccomodation at atNaya Naya Mahal Mahal to tothe the Albert Albert Hall Hall in inRam Ram Niwas Niwas Bagh. Bagh. By By February February 1887, 1887, B G Sharma for their individual expertise and enthusiastic participation in the project. thethe new new museum museum was was ready ready for for its its inauguration inauguration and and was was itself itself an an intrinsic intrinsic part part of ofthe the We are also fortunate in having a young, dynamic and dedicated curator in Rakesh displaydisplay as asit representedit represented architec architecturaltural designs, designs, both both local local and and Mughal. Mughal. e structure— e structure— Chholak, who showed amazing skill in translating ideas for design, decor and display of pillars,pillars, brackets, brackets, arches arches and and ornamentation—was ornamentation—was representative representative of ofthe the art art of ofstone stone objects, from the drawing board into faithful actuality, almost instantly, as if with a carving,carving, serving serving as asexamples examples of ofthe the art art without without requiring requiring a gallerya gallery display. display. e School e School magic wand. of ofArt Art went went on on to topublish publish 12 12 portfolios, portfolios, replete replete with with designs designs of ofplinths, plinths, columns, columns, doors, doors, brackets,brackets, arches, arches, balustrades, balustrades, chhatris chhatris, cenotaphs,, cenotaphs, and and jharokas jharokas, decorated, decorated parapets parapets, , Indrajit Singh Masuda andand incorporating incorporating almost almost every every facet facet of ofMughal Mughal and and Rajput Rajput buildings. buildings. ese ese became became valuablevaluable reference reference material material for for architects architects and and designers. designers.
YetYet another another unique unique element element of of Albert Albert Hall Hall is is the the murals murals representing representing the the diff diff erent erent civilizationscivilizations of ofthe the world. world. e Indian e Indian themes themes in inthese these murals murals include include illustrations illustrations of of thethe Ramayana Ramayana from from Razmnama Razmnama, and, and the the frescos frescos of ofthe the Ajanta Ajanta caves. caves. European, European, Greco Greco - - Roman,Roman, Babylonian, Babylonian, Far Far Eastern Eastern and and Pharaonic Pharaonic civilizations civilizations are are also also represented. represented. e e courtyardscourtyards and and corridors corridors are are replete replete with with aphorisms aphorisms and and quotations quotations of ofpoets, poets, sages sages andand philosophers. philosophers.
In Inthe the light light of ofthis this historical historical backdrop, backdrop, the the museum museum is isindeed indeed an an inheritance inheritance from from the the past.past. ese ese arts, arts, as asthey they have have developed developed today, today, owe owe much much to tothe the noble noble eff efforts orts of ofMaharaja Maharaja SawaiSawai Ram Ram Singh Singh II andII and Maharaja Maharaja Sawai Sawai Madho Madho Singh Singh II, II,and and to toHendley Hendley and and Jacob. Jacob.
KhandaKhanda, ornate, ornate sword, sword, withwith embossed embossed fi gure fi gure of of AmongAmong those those visiting visiting the the renovated renovated museum, museum, the the tourist tourist would would have have a glimpsea glimpse of ofthe the goddessgoddess Kali Kali and and inscription inscription entireentire range range of ofindustrial industrial arts arts of ofthe the 19th 19th century; century; the the artisan artisan would would have have a uniquea unique in Devnagari,in Devnagari, Rajasthan, Rajasthan, 18th18th century, century, L 101.60 L 101.60 cm, cm, opportunityopportunity to tostudy study rare rare examples examples of ofthe the fi nest fi nest workmanship, workmanship, possibly possibly even even be be inspired inspired AccAcc No NoN/1148 N/1148 to toexperiment experiment and and reintroduce reintroduce what what may may now now be be antiquated; antiquated; the the historian historian could could register register
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