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Photos: Jaipur House gets a new life

Built in 1936, Jaipur House in New Delhi has been home to the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) since 1954. However, over the past decade, the building, especially its first floor, became inaccessible to people. But this is set to change as the building, which is the erstwhile residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, is currently undergoing renovation and shall welcome art lovers soon.

Updated on: Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM IST

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Considered an architectural marvel, Jaipur House served as a go-to place for artists ever since it became home to the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in 1954. However, over the past decade, the building, especially its first floor, became inaccessible to people. But the building will open to the public by early March after a major conservation and renovation exercise, which started in May last year. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

Considered an architectural marvel, Jaipur House served as a go-to place for artists ever since it became home to the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in 1954. However, over the past decade, the building, especially its first floor, became inaccessible to people. But the building will open to the public by early March after a major conservation and renovation exercise, which started in May last year. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Built in 1936, Jaipur House, that is located diametrically opposite Hyderabad House, was designed by British architect Charles Blomfield in a mix of neo-classical and art-deco style. The butterfly shaped building has two symmetrical ‘wings’ radiating from a central court. The NGMA was inaugurated in 1954 by then vice-president Dr S Radhakrishnan in the presence of then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and prominent artists. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

Built in 1936, Jaipur House, that is located diametrically opposite Hyderabad House, was designed by British architect Charles Blomfield in a mix of neo-classical and art-deco style. The butterfly shaped building has two symmetrical ‘wings’ radiating from a central court. The NGMA was inaugurated in 1954 by then vice-president Dr S Radhakrishnan in the presence of then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and prominent artists. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Soon it became the go-to place for art lovers from all over the country. The corridors and the rooms on the first floor exhibited the works of great masters such as Thomas Daniel, Nandalal Bose, Abanindra Nath Tagore, among others. The second floor displayed works of Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher Gill, Jamini Roy, etc. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

Soon it became the go-to place for art lovers from all over the country. The corridors and the rooms on the first floor exhibited the works of great masters such as Thomas Daniel, Nandalal Bose, Abanindra Nath Tagore, among others. The second floor displayed works of Rabindranath Tagore, Amrita Sher Gill, Jamini Roy, etc. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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The gypsum partitions, walls and closures that covered most of the building’s original walls, grand doors, high ceilings and fireplaces have been removed. The conservation work includes reinforcing damaged roofs, and repairing and polishing the original doors, windows and the teakwood panelled walls. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

The gypsum partitions, walls and closures that covered most of the building’s original walls, grand doors, high ceilings and fireplaces have been removed. The conservation work includes reinforcing damaged roofs, and repairing and polishing the original doors, windows and the teakwood panelled walls. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Over the years, especially after the new wing became functional in 2009, many permanent exhibitions—NGMA has a collection of 18,000 works obtained through purchase, permanent loans and gifts —were shifted to the new wing, and the most rooms on the first floor became storage for the reserve collection. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

Over the years, especially after the new wing became functional in 2009, many permanent exhibitions—NGMA has a collection of 18,000 works obtained through purchase, permanent loans and gifts —were shifted to the new wing, and the most rooms on the first floor became storage for the reserve collection. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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“Many visitors who have fond memories of the old building wanted the first floor to be reopened for exhibitions. We felt the entire Jaipur house, which is an architectural marvel, an important part of Delhi’s history, should be opened to people once again,” says Ritu Sharma, director, NGMA. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

“Many visitors who have fond memories of the old building wanted the first floor to be reopened for exhibitions. We felt the entire Jaipur house, which is an architectural marvel, an important part of Delhi’s history, should be opened to people once again,” says Ritu Sharma, director, NGMA. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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“We have restored the building to its original glory. Now people will have the experience of viewing art in a royal house, not in a typical gallery. Some spaces such as the Queen’s room will serve as a museum,” says Adwaita Garanayak, director general, NGMA. “In this room, we will put on display chairs, silverware and other objects for a peek into the life of the royal family in Jaipur House before it became a gallery.” (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

“We have restored the building to its original glory. Now people will have the experience of viewing art in a royal house, not in a typical gallery. Some spaces such as the Queen’s room will serve as a museum,” says Adwaita Garanayak, director general, NGMA. “In this room, we will put on display chairs, silverware and other objects for a peek into the life of the royal family in Jaipur House before it became a gallery.” (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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Visitors will now have access to exhibitions not just on the ground floor but also the first floor of the building, where most rooms served as storage for the reserve collection of the gallery for years. The inaugural exhibition in the renovated Jaipur House will showcase the works of Upendra Maharathi, a legendary Buddhist and Gandhian artist, who hailed from Odisha. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

Updated on Feb 19, 2019 1:58 PM

Visitors will now have access to exhibitions not just on the ground floor but also the first floor of the building, where most rooms served as storage for the reserve collection of the gallery for years. The inaugural exhibition in the renovated Jaipur House will showcase the works of Upendra Maharathi, a legendary Buddhist and Gandhian artist, who hailed from Odisha. (Sanchit Khanna / HT Photo)

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