Napier
Museum (Art Museum)
One
of the earliest Museums
in India established
by the Maharaja of Travancore
in 1855. Only a very
few Museums like the
Indian Museum Calcutta,
Madras Government Museum
are its contemporaries.
In 1874, the old Museum
Building was pulled
down and the foundation
for the new building
named after Lord Napier,
the Governor of Madras
presidency, was laid.
Mr. Chisoln, the consulting
Architect of the Madras
Government and the construction
completed in 1880, designed
the Architectural masterpiece.
This 120-year-old structure
is a landmark in the
city with its unique
ornamentation and architectural
style with gothic roof
and minarets. It offers
an array of display
of artistic, cultural
and antique importance
comprising of sculptures
in bronze and stone,
carvings of wood and
ivory, lamps, textiles,
Kath kali models, handicraft
items, Kuftgiri works,
traditional musical
instruments, a treasure
of numismatic collections
representing Chera,
Chola, Pandya dynasties
of Southern India etc.
The bronze display includes
fascinating images of
Siva, Vishnu, Parvathi
and Lakshmi in 'Silpa
Sastras'. The metal
images illustrate the
features of South Indian
sculpture style of 8th
to 18th Century. The
Vishnu image of 8th
Century collected from
Ambalapuzha temple in
central Travancore,
which has Pallava style,
is the oldest metal
image in the State.
The stone sculptures
belong to 8th to 18th
Century such as Agasthya,
Vishnu etc. manifest
Dravidian influence.
Shiva with Sati is a
unique and the rare
exhibit found in the
Museum. All the woodcarvings
exhibited here shows
high degree of excellence.
Each and every exhibit
has a wonderful and
fascinating tale twined
around it.
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