Gallery of decorative art reopens at National Museum

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A gallery of decorative art showcasing artifacts made of ivory, jade and ceramics was reopened at the National Museum here after renovation, shedding light on the craftsmanship prevalent in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Minister of culture Chandresh Kumari Katoch inaugurated the Museum’s renovated gallery of Decorative Arts-I today.

Decorative arts relates to the design and decoration of objects of utility. Artifacts of this group are crafted for daily, ceremonial and religious uses from a variety of material like ivory, jade, ceramic, textile, wood, metal, glass, paper, leather and bone.

The present decorative arts gallery I mainly focus on ivory, jade and ceramics.

Each medium is represented by a group of seven or eight showcases to portray the diverse nature of artifacts and the high quality of craftsmanship.

In the ivory group, boxes, sandals, utilitarian artifacts and images of Hindu and Christian religious figures are the highlights.

The Jade section showcases the utilitarian, while the glazed tiles, blue-white pottery and celadon items are in the ceramic group, which have been displayed for the first time.

The gallery has two themes, leisure or ancient games and throne story, which have been developed with the help of artifacts made of various materials besides the main three categories, an official statement said.

Dancers, musicians, rattles, gamesman of chess, chaupar and gyan chaupar and top made of ivory, bone, jade, glass beads, wood and metal are some of the fine examples of leisure and ancient games traditions of India.

The second theme ‘throne story’ indicates the evolution of the seat of power. From the low flat seats of antiquity to the modern armed chair, the journey of the throne is a fascinating story.

A huge intricately carved home shrine and some metal Hindu and Jain ‘pitikas’ (small seats for keeping idols for home shrines) are the important religious objects.

Two stone thrones, and the jewel studded chair with foot rest of the King of Benaras, Uttar Pradesh, along with elegant throne legs are displayed in this section.

Some outstanding pieces have been displayed against the four pillars like “meditating Buddha” inside the lattice case and Dashavatar shrine depicting 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu made of ivory, the cloth painted gyan chaupar, the silver tray depicting Kaurava’s court scene, five feet elephant tusk carved with life scenes of Lord Buddha, jade surahi, arm rest, chauri and the hooqa inscribed with the name of Mughal Emperor Jahangir and the white-blue ceramic ware.