COLONIAL ARCHITECTURE

HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE-II (III-C)

SHUBHANGI SAXENA
MBS SPA
 COLONIALISM
 Colonialism is the establishment, exploitation, maintenance,
acquisition, and expansion of colony in one territory by a political power
from another territory.
 It is a set of unequal relationships between the colonial power and
the colony and often between the colonists and the indigenous
population.
 Collins English Dictionary defines colonialism as “The policy and
practice of a power in extending control over weaker people or areas.”
 The legitimacy of colonialism has been a longstanding concern for
political and moral philosophers in the Western tradition.
 HISTORY OF COLONIALISM
 The historical phenomenon of colonisation is one that stretches around
the globe and across time, including such disparate peoples as the
Hittites, the Incas and the British.
 Modern state global colonialism, or imperialism, began in the 15th
century with the "Age of Discovery",
by Portuguese and Spanish exploration of the Americas, and the coasts
of Africa, the Middle East, India, and East Asia.
 During the 16th and 17th centuries, England, France and the Dutch
Republic established their own overseas empires, in direct competition
with each other.
 The end of the 18th and early 19th century saw the first era
of decolonization, when most of the European colonies in the Americas
gained their independence from their respective metropolis.
COLONIALISM EXPANSION OVER THE
CENTURIES
 TYPES OF COLONIALISM
 Settler colonialism involves large-scale immigration, often motivated by
religious, political, or economic reasons.
 Exploitation colonialism involves fewer colonists and focuses on access
to resources for export, typically to the metropolis. Slaves were often
imported to the Americas, first by the Portuguese Empire, and later by
the Spanish, Dutch, French and British.
 Plantation colonies would be considered exploitation colonialism; but
colonizing powers would utilize either type for different territories
depending on various social and economic factors as well as climate and
geographic conditions.
CONTD…
 Surrogate colonialism involves a settlement project supported by
colonial power, in which most of the settlers do not come from the
mainstream of the ruling power.
 Internal colonialism is a notion of uneven structural power between
areas of a nation state. The source of exploitation comes from within the
state.
COLONIAL CITIES IN INDIA
 Colonial India is the part of the Indian subcontinent which was
under the control of European colonial powers, through trade and
conquest. The first European power to arrive in India was
the Macedonian army of Alexander the Great in 327–326 BC.
DIFFERENT COLONIAL RULES

COLONIAL RULE PERIOD

Dutch India 1605–1825
Danish India 1620–1869
French India 1769–1954
Portuguese East India Company 1628–1633
East India Company 1612–1757
Company rule in India 1757–1858
British Raj 1858–1947
British rule in Burma 1824–1948
Princely states 1721–1949
Partition of India 1947
CITIES UNDER RULE
GOA:
 In 1510, the Portuguese defeated the ruling Bijapur sultan Yousuf
Adil Shah with the help of a local ally, Timayya. They set up a
permanent settlement in Velha Goa (or Old Goa). This was the
beginning of Portuguese rule in Goa that would last for four and a
half centuries, until 1961.
KOCHI:
 Known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea, Kochi was an important
spice trading centre on the west coast of India from the 14th century.
Occupied by the Portuguese Empire in 1503, Kochi was the first of
the European colonies in colonial India. It remained the main seat
of Portuguese India until 1530, when Goa was chosen instead.
CONTD..

DELHI:
• In 1803 British got control of Delhi but continued with
Calcutta as the capital as The Mughal emperor was living there
(Bahadur Shah Jafar).The modern city as we know it today
developed only after 1911 when Delhi became the capital of
British India.
CALCUTTA:
• The city was a colonial city developed by the British East
India Company and then by the British Empire. Kolkata was
the capital of the British Indian empire until 1911 when the
capital was relocated to Delhi. Kolkata grew rapidly in the 19th
century to become the second city of the British Empire.
CONTD..
MADRAS:
• Modern Chennai had its origins as a colonial city and its
initial growth was closely tied to its importance as an
artificial harbour and trading centre.
• When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and
named it São Tomé, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas,
who is believed to have preached there between the years
1552 and 1570.
• The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who
established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in
1612.
• Both groups strived to grow their colonial populations and
although their populations reached into 10,000 persons when
the British arrived, they remained substantially outnumbered
by the local Indian population.
CONTD..
BOMBAY:
• In 1687, the English East India Company transferred its
headquarters from Surat to Bombay. The city eventually
became the headquarters of the Bomba Presidency. Following
the transfer, Bombay was placed at the head of all the
Company's establishments in India.
• The encouragement of the trade of Bombay with Jeshwanth
combined with the Company's military successes in the
Deccan paved the way for the educational and economic
progress which characterized the city during the nineteenth
century leading to the city development during 1817-1885.
• By 1845, all the seven islands had been connected to form a
single island called Old Bombay having an area of
435 km2(167.95 sq mi) by the Hornby Vellard project due to
the water famine in 1824.
CHENNAI:
• Chennai formerly known as Madras, is the capital of
the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest city.
• It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal.
With an estimated population of 8.9 million (2014), the 400-
year-old city is the 31st largest metropolitan city in the world.
• Chennai boasts of a long history from the English East India
Company, through the British Raj to its evolution in the late
20th century as a services and manufacturing hub for India.
• The modern city of "Chennai" arose from the British settlement
of Fort St. George and its subsequent expansion through merging
numerous native villages and European settlements around Fort St.
George into the city of Madras.
CONTD..
 Modern Chennai had its origins as a colonial city and its
initial growth was closely tied to its importance as an
artificial harbour and trading centre.
 Francis Day and his superior Andrew Cogan can be
considered as the founders of Madras (now Chennai).
 Their small fortified settlement quickly attracted other East
Indian traders and as the Dutch position collapsed under
hostile Indian power they also slowly joined the
settlement. This area became the Fort St. George
settlement.
 It is otherwise referred to as THE WHITE TOWN.
 To differentiate these non-European and non-Christian
area from "White Town", the new settlement was termed
"Black Town.” Collectively, the original Fort St. George
settlement, "White Town", and "Black Town" were called
Madras.
CONTD..
 In the later part of the 17th century, Madras steadily
progressed during the period of the East India Company and
under many Governors. Although most of the original
Portuguese, Dutch, and British population had been
genocided during the Golkonda period, under the Mughal
protection, large numbers of British and Anglo-American
settlers arrived to replenish these losses.
 As a result during the Governorship of Elihu Yale (1687–92),
the large number of British and European settlers led to the
most important political event which was the formation of the
institution of a Mayor and the Corporation for the city of
Madras.
 The expansion of Chennai lead to the acquisition of other
areas nearby. This confiscation of the areas developed which
resulted the present day core area of Chennai we see today.
CONFISCATED VILLAGES..
VILLAGE YEAR
Madraspatnam 1639
Narimedu (area to the west of
1645
Madraspatnam)
Triplicane 1672
Tiruvottiyur 1708
Kottivakkam 1708
Nungambakkam 1708
Egmore 1720
Purasawalkam 1720
Tondiarpet 1720
Chintadripet 1735
Vepery 1742
Mylapore 1749
Chennapatnam 1801
CONTD..
 In the latter half of the 18th century, Madras became an
important British naval base and the administrative centre of
the growing British dominions in southern India.
 The British also fought four wars with the Kingdom of
Mysore under Hyder Ali and later his son Tipu Sultan, which
led to their eventual domination of India's south. Madras was
the capital of the Madras Presidency, also called Madras
Province.
 Consequently, they expanded the Chartered control of the
company by encompassing the neighbouring villages
of Triplicane, Egmore, Purasawalkam and Chetpet to form
the city of Chennapatnam, as it was called by locals.
 The development of a harbour in Madras led the city to
become an important centre for trade between India and
Europe in the 18th century.
CONTD..
 Spencer's started as a small business in 1864 and went on to
become the biggest department stores in Asia at the time.
 Development of Railway station, High Court, Educational
Institution and other major administrative and commercial
buildings had taken Chennai to its new heights.
 In the 1900’s Chennai acquired the status of a city due to its
increased population growth and advancements in terms of
infrastructure and aminities.
 The city’s major economic activity was entirely based on the
sea and other small scale industries inside the city.
 On the whole, the colonial rule provoked the growth of
Chennai to a multi potential city which attracted people from
all over TamilNadu for the past 40-50 years.
CHENNAI IN 1955..
CHENNAI IN 1990..
CONCLUSION
 The concept of colonialism started way back in 1492 when
Columbus went in search of India, but accidently discovered
America.
 The colonial rule impacted the whole world, creating a new
settlement to the creation of a new religion to the creation of
a new country.
 Colonial India had contributed to the modern India we see
today with the establishment of Modern city lifestyle and also
in the growth of Mega cities like Mumbai, Chennai etc.,
 The Imperialism of the British over the entire world has
resulted the tremendous improvement in trade and commerce
which we have at present.
 There wouldn’t have been a Megacity like Mumbai or
Chennai if colonial rule had not existed.
ATTITUDE OF THE COLONISER

 I know it better than you!

ATTITUDE OF THE COLONISER

 I know it better than you!

 I am raising the natives to civilization

ATTITUDE OF THE COLONISER

 I know it better than you!

 I am raising the natives to civilization

 Win-Win situation
 Coloniser get the native resources
 Colonised gets to be civilized
COLONIALISM IN INDIA

 Portuguese (1505–1961)

 Dutch (1605 to 1825)

 British (1612-1947)

 French (1759–1954)
ARCHITECTURE OF THE COLONIZER
 Need for colonizer’s
architecture
 French – Pondicherry
 Dutch – Coromandel, Malabar

 Portuguese – Goa

 British – Calcutta
COLONIALISM IN INDIA

 Pre 1857
 Functional

 Trade requirements
COLONIALISM IN INDIA

 Pre 1857
 Functional
 Trade requirements

 Post 1857
 Identity – Power & Superiority
 Social disparity
 Building for performance
NEW RULE NEW INSTITUTIONS

 Railway stations
 Engines of growth

 Courts
 A civilized world

 Colleges
 Modern education as a base for the society

 Hospitals
 Quality of life

 Post Offices
 Bureaucracy
NEW BRITISH CITY “NEW DELHI” & A ROMAN
ARCH?
NEW LOGIC TO URBAN DESIGN

 Urban Inserts
 Nai Sadak
 Town Halls and clock tower

 Hill Stations
 Masoorie
 Shimla

 Cantonments

 Urban Extensions
 Civil Lines
NEW LOGIC TO BUILDING

 Military engineers
 MES (military engineering services)

 PWD
 1862

 Building laws
 1855 plague

 ASI
 1861 by Sir Alexander Cunningham
NEW LIFE STYLE

 New behavioural pattern

 Colonial life style of the rich

 New typologies
 Clubs
 Gymkhana
 Hotels
 Parks and Gardens
 Bungalows
WHY TAKE OVER THE GOVERNMENT?

• Build Infrastructure
• Railways
• Roads
• Social
MODES OF TRADE?

French
 Type 1: Portuguese
 Basic Trade Dutch
 Civilizing the natives

 Type 2
 Basic trade
 Civilizing the natives British
 PRODUCTION
 Capital Crops
 Semi Processed Goods
EUROPEAN PALETTE

 Classical

 Romanesque

 Gothic

 Renaissance

 Baroque
PRE 1857

Introverted trading enclaves called “factories”

Factories Fort Towns/colonies

POST 1857

Magnificence of the Raj

Architecture
Introverted Spectacle of
of the
Colonies Power
Supreme
LONDON EAST INDIA HOUSE

Leadenhall Street in London (1729)

CALCUTTA WRITERS’ BUILDING

Architecture in India - 1777 (Construction started)

WILLIAM HODGES AND VIEWS OF INDIA

"A View of the Fort of Agra on the River Jumna," by William Hodges, London, 1785-88
BRITISH UNDERSTANDING OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURE

Islamic Architecture

Hindu Architecture
INDO SARACENIC ARCHITECTURE

Islamic Architecture

British Palette
(Import)

Hindu Architecture
EUROPEAN PALETTE

 Classical

 Romanesque

 Gothic

 Renaissance

 Baroque
WILLIAM EMERSON THE MUIR COLLEGE

Allahabad 1873 – “Over a large hall which exudes a vague air of Venetian
Gothic there rises a dome which is Mughal in outline but Persian in
decoration, and beside it stands a minaret which appears to have been
transposed from Mamluk Egypt” ~ H R Tillotson
ROBERT FELLOWES CHISHOLM MADRAS UNIVERSITY
SENATE HOUSE

Madras 1870s – “…some of the arches are of ogee form…while

others are voluptuous horseshow…as those of Moorish Spain” ~ H R
Tillotson
ROBERT FELLOWES CHISHOLM ORIENTALISING THE
RAJ

Chepauk Palace Madras

1871 ~ Chisholm (Governor
of Mardras, Lord Napier’s support)
ROBERT FELLOWES CHISHOLM STYLE OF THE ERA

Napier Museum Trivandrum 1872

CHARLES MANT MAYO COLLEGE AJMER

Ajmer 1875-85
MANT & CHISHOLM LAXMI VILAS

Baroda 1878-90
HENRY IRWIN LAW COURTS

Madras 1888-92
HENRY IRWIN ART GALLERY

Madras 1907
F W STEVENS VICTORIA TERMINUS

Bombay 1880s
F W STEVENS VICTORIA TERMINUS

Bombay 1880s
GEORGE WITTET PRINCE OF WHALES MUSEUM

Bombay 1905
GEORGE WITTET GATEWAY OF INDIA

Bombay 1911
WILLIAM EMERSON VICTORIA MEMORIAL

Calcutta 1921 (Inaugurated )

LUTYENS AND BAKER NEW DELHI

1914 - 31
LUTYENS AND BAKER NEW DELHI

1914 - 31
COLONIAL ERA: 1615 TO 1947
 The British arrival in 1615 overthrew the Mughal empire.
Britain reigned India for over three hundred years and their legacy still
remains through building and infrastructure that populate their former
colonies.

The major cities colonized during this period were Madras, Calcutta, Bombay,
Delhi, Agra, Bankipore(Patna),Karachi, Nagpur, Bhopal and Hyderabad.

Colonialism: the policy or practice of acquiring full or partial political control over another
country, occupying it with settlers, and exploiting it economically.
ST ANDREWS KIRK, MADRAS (CHURCH)

 It is renowned for its

colonial beauty. The
building is circular in
form and is sided by two
rectangular sections
one is the entrance
porch.
ST ANDREWS KIRK, MADRAS

 The entrance is lined

with twelve colonnades
and two British lions
and motto of East India
Company engraved on
them.
 ST ANDREWS KIRK, MADRAS

 The interior holds

sixteen columns and the
dome is painted blue
with decorated with gold
stars

In classical architecture, a colonnade denotes a long sequence of

columns joined by their entablature, often free-standing, or part of
a building. Paired or multiple pairs of columns are normally
employed in a colonnade which can be straight or curved.
 THE VICTORIA MEMORIAL ,CALCUTTA

 It is the most effective

symbolism of British
Empire, built as a
monument in tribute to
Queen Victoria’s reign.
Colonnades separate the two The plan of the building
chambers. consists of one large central
Each corner holds a smaller dome and part covered with a larger
is floored with marble plinth. dome.
The memorial stands on 26 hectares of garden surrounded by reflective pools
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI

 The station building is

designed in the
High Victorian Gothic style
of architecture.
 The building exhibits a
fusion of influences from
Victorian Italianate Gothic
Revival architecture and
traditional Indian
architecture.
 The skyline, turrets, pointed
arches, and eccentric
ground plan are close to
traditional Indian palace
architecture
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI

 The centrally domed

office structure has a 330
feet long platform
connected to a 1,200 feet
long train shed, and its
outline provides the
skeleton plan for building.
 VT's dome of dovetailed
ribs, built without
centring, was considered
as a novel achievement of
the era.
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI

 The interior of the building was

conceived as a series of large
rooms with high ceilings
 The columns of the entrance
gates are crowned by figures of
a lion (representing Great
Britain) and a tiger
(representing India).
 The main structure is built
from a blend of India
sandstone and limestone,
while high-quality Italian
marble was used for the key
decorative elements.
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI TERMINUS, MUMBAI
 The main interiors are also
decorated with Italian marble
and polished Indian blue
stone. The stone arches are
covered with carved foliage.
 Internally, the ceiling of the
booking hall was originally
painted blue, gold and strong
red on a ground of rich blue
with gold stars.
 Its walls were lined with glazed
tiles
GATEWAY OF INDIA

• The architect George

Wittet combined the
elements of the Roman
triumphal arch and the
16th-century architecture
of Gujarat
• Its design is a combination
of Hindu and Muslim
architectural styles.
• The arch is of Muslim style
while the decorations are of
Hindu style.
GATEWAY OF INDIA

• The gateway is built from

yellow basalt
and reinforced concrete.

• The stone was locally

obtained, and the
perforated screens were
brought from Gwalior.

• The gateway faces out

to Mumbai Harbour from
the tip of Apollo Bunder.
PORTUGUESE: 1498 TO 1961
 The interior of Goan -
Portuguese houses
consisted of elaborate
patterns created with tiles
imported from Europe and
a false ceiling installed of
wood.
 The walls are painted with
bright colours contrasting
to the earthy coloured
furniture.
 The walls were made
out of mud or laterite
stone and coloured with
vegetable and natural
dyes.
 Gateposts and
compound walls were
craved with great detail.
 The Portuguese - Catholic houses faced the street with
unique large ornamental windows opening onto verandas.
 Bold colours were painted on houses constructing distinct
identity, allowing the sailors to recognize their houses from
sea.
 The covered porches and verandas were designed for
socializing contrary to the Hindu styled housing.
 Front doors were lined with columns, and railings were
popular in details.
 Portuguese dominance in Goa still remains evident.
 Colonizers' missionary spirit built many magnificent
cathedrals, churches, basilicas and seminaries.
THE BASILICA OF BOM JESUS (GOOD JESUS),OLD
GOA

 The former capital

during the Portuguese
rule.
 The three storied
Renaissance styled
church was built of
plaster and laterite
in1605,
 It holds the mortal Saint Francis Xavier, S.J.,
remains of St. Francis was a Navarrese-Basque
Xavier. Roman Catholic
 The interior is built in a missionary, born in Javier,
Mosaic-Corinthian style Kingdom of Navarre, and
and adorned with wood a co-founder of the
and gold leaf. Society of Jesus.

The ornamented entrance to the

church.
 THE BASILICA OF BOM JESUS (GOOD JESUS),OLD
GOA
 The walls embrace old
painting of saints as the
floor is laid with pure
white marble.

An altar is any structure upon which offerings such as sacrifices are

made for religious purposes, and by extension the 'Holy table' of post-
reformation Anglican churches.

Basilica is a title given to some Roman Interior view towards altar

Catholic churches.
 Se Cathedral, Velha Goa

The architecture style of the

Se Cathedral is Portuguese-
Manueline. The exterior
is Tuscan, whereas the
interior is Corinthian.

•The Se Cathedral's tower houses a large bell known as the "Golden Bell" on account of its
rich tone.
•The main altar is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, and there are several old paintings
on either side of it.
•On the right there is a Chapel of the Cross of Miracles, where a vision of Christ is said to
have appeared in 1919.
• There are six main panels, on which scenes from the life of Saint Catherine are carved.
There is a huge gilded reredos above the main altar.
FRENCH: 1673 TO 1954
Many streets retain
French names, and
French-style villas are a
common sight.
In the French quarter,
the buildings are
typically colonial
style with long
compounds and stately
walls.
 The Indian quarter
consists of houses lined
with verandas and with
large doors and grills.
 18TH CENTURY TAMIL BUILDING: ANANDA
RANGA PILLAI MANSION
 Among the buildings owned by
Tamil noble men and traders,
the house of Ananda Ranga
Pillai (109 on the street that
bears his name), built in 1735,
is one of the oldest.
 Spared by the British in 1761,
this is one of the most beautiful Ground Floor Interior - Tamil style
examples of a traditional Tamil
house with European influence
in Pondicherry.
Ananda Ranga Pillai, was a dubash( An
Indian translator or interpreter.) in the service
of the French East India Company. He is
mainly famous for his set of private diaries
from the years 1736 to 1761 which portray
life in 18th century India. First Floor Interior - French Style
18TH CENTURY TAMIL BUILDING: ANANDA
RANGA PILLAI MANSION

 On the ground floor, in

typically Indian fashion, the
courtyard is surrounded by
exquisitely carved wooden
pillars;
 On the first floor, the terrace
is supported by elegant
masonry columns of
European design.
 This edifice is plainly the
expression of the two
cultures to which the Long Section
great dubash of the French
governor Dupleix belonged.
The ceilings are marked by heavy wooden beams and wooden
joists supporting terrace roofing made of brick-on-edge
masonry in lime mortar, called argamasse in French
and Madras roofing in English; the main building material
for all masonry works was burnt bricks in lime mortar (the
lime was made by burning sea shells from the local shore or
lime stone quarried from Tutipet)
Partial street frontage,
compound wall with curved
panels, grand pieced gate,
Large courtyard with circular arched Wooden railing over wrought iron
parapet with pot balusters
inner façade with ornate balcony . baluster

Large hall, columns carrying Semi circular arched gate with

heavy wooden beams that engaged columns
support the roof. Stucco design
Franco–Tamil houses

Then, a corridor leads to the interior or

central courtyard, open to the sky,
called mutram, lined up by an inner
veranda with country (canal) tiles of baked
earth over wooden columns. Beyond, are
the more private spaces like sami
arai (pooja room), storeroom or bedroom
and kitchen which opens in to a rear
courtyard that encloses a well, toilet and
It is built on rubble foundations, with walls of flat
bathroom.
bricks and Madras terrace roofing. It is
characterized by a street veranda,
called talvaram with Mangalore tiles over
wooden posts and a raised platform with
wooden columns and masonry benches for
visitors, called tinnai.
 Exchange of architectural patterns is evident in the facades of two-
storied buildings where the ground floor is usually of the Tamil type
with talvaram, tinnai and carved doors, while the first floor features
French influence with arched windows, plaster decoration, luted
pilasters, columns with capitals, architectural motifs such as
mouldings of the doors inspired by French designs, also floral
designs such as acantha leaves, leading to a mix of Tamil and French
styles which is the signature mark of Pondicherry heritage (balconies
rest on cantilevered wooden joists).
 Probably it was considered fashionable to use French features in the
façades of the native buildings. However the interior structure has
never been influenced by western decorative motifs and, in many
cases, in the street facades, there was no compromising on the age-
old functional elements of talvaram and tinnai.
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Pondicherry

This 100 years old historical church is 50 mts. long 48 mts. wide and 18 mts.
high with Latin rite cross shape in aerial view is in Gothic style.

Statues of the four evangelists were erected, beneath which there are four lamp
posts describing their lives and the inviting Jesus and the twelve apostles on the
front facade. The church illuminated inside and out with chandeliers, focus and
flood lights.
Dutch: 1605 to 1825
 The dutch building usually
have a structure features
massive teak beams.
 The upper floor is located
in the front wing and can
be reached with a wooded
staircase.
 This upper storey has a
wooden floor.
 A long open veranda runs
along the length of each
wing of the building.
MATTANCHERRY PALACE

• The palace is a quadrangular

structure built in the traditional
Kerala style of architecture,
with a courtyard in the middle.

• In the courtyard there stands a

small temple dedicated to
'Pazhayannur Bhagavati', the
protective goddess of
the Kochi royal family.

• There are two more temples on

either side of the Palace, one
dedicated to Lord Krishna and
the other to Lord Siva.
MATTANCHERRY PALACE

• Certain elements of architecture,

as for example the nature of its
arches and the proportion of its
chambers are indicative of
European influence in basic
Nāluketttu style.
• The Dining Hall has carved
wooden ornate ceiling decorated
with a series of brass cups.

• The palace also contains rare

examples of traditional Kerala
flooring, which looks like polished
black marble but is actually a
mixture of burned coconut shells,
charcoal, lime, plant juices and
egg whites
 Bastion Bungalow

•Bastion Bungalow of Kerala is a famous tourist site in the fort of Kochi.

At present the Bastion Bungalow serves as the official seat of the Sub-Collector.

• The structure of the Bastion Bungalow is spherical in type and has tiled roof.

•The first floor verandah gives a unique view with a wooden portion in the front.

•The Bastion Bungalow of the fort Kochi was the camp office and residence of RDO.
Old harbour hotel

A 300 year-old building that has for long been a heritage monument of this
town, now reopened as a boutique hotel. Built in the Dutch style of
architecture with hints of Portuguese influences, it was the first hotel of
old Cochin
High ceilings, arched porticos, period furniture and works of art combine to
create a tranquil oasis
INDIAN ART
 British period (1841–1947)
 British colonial rule had a great impact on Indian art. Old patrons of
art became less wealthy and influential, and Western art more
ubiquitous as the British Empire established schools of art in major
cities, e.g. the Bombay Art Society in 1888.
 The Company style of paintings became common, created by Indian
artists working for European patrons of the East India Company. The
style was mainly Romanticized, with watercolor the primary medium
used to convey soft textures and tones.
 By 1858, the British government took over the task of administration
of India under the British Raj.
 The fusion of Indian traditions with European style at this time is
evident from Raja Ravi Varma's oil paintings of sari-clad women in a
graceful manner.
 COMPANY PAINTING BY DIP CHAND (C. 1760 –
C. 1764) DEPICTING AN OFFICIAL OF THE EAST
INDIA COMPANY

Company painting' is a broad term for a

variety of hybrid styles that developed as a
result of European (especially British)
influence on Indian artists from the early
18th to the 19th centuries.
 TIPU'S TIGER, AN 18TH-
CENTURY AUTOMATA WITH ITS KEYBOARD
VISIBLE. VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM,
LONDON

Tipu's Tiger or Tippu's Tiger is an eighteenth-century automaton or mechanical toy created

for Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in India. The carved and painted wood
casing represents a tiger savaging a near life-size European man.
In addition a flap on the side of the tiger folds down to reveal the keyboard of a small pipe
organ with 18 notes.
SHAKUNTALA BY RAJA RAVI VARMA (1870). OIL
ON CANVAS.
 ASOKA'S QUEEN BY ABANINDRANATH
TAGORE(C. 1910). CHROMOXYLOGRAPH.

Chromoxylograph - a coloured print created

from printing with wooden blocks
 With the Swadeshi Movement gaining momentum by 1905, Indian artists
attempted to resuscitate the cultural identities suppressed by the British,
rejecting the Romanticized style of the Company paintings and the
mannered work of Raja Ravi Varma and his followers.
 Thus was created what is known today as the Bengal School of Art, led by
the reworked Asian styles (with an emphasis on Indian nationalism)
of Abanindranath Tagore (1871—1951), who has been referred to as the
father of Modern Indian art.
 Other artists of the Tagore family, such as Rabindranath Tagore (1861–
1941) and Gaganendranath Tagore (1867–1938) as well as new artists of
the early 20th century such as Amrita Sher-Gil (1913–1941) were
responsible for introducing Avant-garde western styles into Indian Art.
 Many other artists like Jamini Roy and later S.H. Raza took inspiration
from folk traditions.
 In 1944, K.C.S. Paniker founded the Progressive Painters' Association (PPA)
thus giving rise to the "madras movement" in art.
THANK YOU