HISTORY OF

ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECT : ROBERT F. CHISHLOM

SUBMITTED BY :

SHOBHIKA JOHN 2K6/ARCH/626

INTRODUCTION

Chisholm, one of the most gifted English architects working in India and a vehement supporter of Indian craftsmen said "those men have an art language of their own, a language which you can recognise but cannot thoroughly understand.

For this reason an architect practising in India should unhesitatingly select to practice in the native styles of art - the natural art-expression.“

Robert Fellowes Chisholm arrived in Madras (Chennai) from England in 1865 where he became the first head of the School of Industrial Art and designed a number of public buildings for the city.

He was very sensitive kind of person. As other British architect , he was something different from

other ,in case of thinking. Chisholm, Henry Irwin and Gilbert Scott were among the

leading practitioners of the time. He was a vehement supporter of Indian craftsmen, "the

men who will actually leave the impress of their hands on the material. These men have an art language of their own, a language which you can recognize but cannot thoroughly understand. For this reason an architect practicing in India should unhesitatingly select to practice in the native styles of art - indeed the natural art-expression of the men is the only art to be obtained in the country.

The building was designed by Chisholm in the very electic Indo-Saracenic style, which blended European and Islamic styles of architecture.

HIS MAJOR WORKS IN INDIA

UNIVERSITY SENATE HOUSE IN MADRAS REVENUE BOARD BUILDING IN MADRAS POST AND TELEGRAPH BUILDING VICTORIA PUBLIC HALL IN MADRAS NAPIER MUSEUM IN TRIVENDRURAM LAXMI VILAS IN BARODA

UNIVERSITY SENATE HOUSE

Location: University of

Madras Campus Built In: 1873 Designed By: Robert Fellowes

Chisholm

Senate House of Chennai is definitely a worth watching monument in Tamil Nadu.

It is located at the campus of University of Madras, near the Marina Beach.

It is truly an architectural marvel and was constructed under the supervision of one of the greatest architects of the 19th century, Robert Fellowes Chisholm.

The foundation of this monument was laid in 1869 and was successfully completed by the year 1873.

The Senate House was once the hallmark of the ancient city of Madras.

Its structure is a creative and harmonious blend of Indo-Saracenic style, with Byzantine architectural features.

The central room of Senate Hall is huge in measurement and is supported with six mammoth stone pillars on each side.

The front side of these entrances was marked with elegant porticos. At the corner of these porticos, there is a small domed size structure which adds up to the beauty of the arrangement

The building is surrounded by four spearing towers, flanked by exquisite domes, painted in different colors. This adds to the magnanimity and splendor of the monument. Apart from this, there is an entrance towards the north, which leads to the convocation hall.

The entrance towards the south is linked with rooms on the southern wing. Besides, there are two entrances on east and west side of the Senate House.

The Senate House had a great utility once, as it housed some of the university departments as well as the offices of the Vice-Chancellor and Registrar.

The four corner towers of Senate House are crowned by onion shaped domes.

INTERIOR OF THE SENATE HOUSE

INTREIOR OF SENATE HOUSE CONTAIN COLOURED DESIGNS ON THE WALLS .

EVEN WINDOW GLASSES ARE ALSO STAINED WITH COLOURFUL GLASS WITH DESIGNS.

NAPIER MUSEUM IN TRIVENDRUM

LocationThe Napier Museum is situated in Trivandrum, capital city of Kerala.

AttractionsArchitecture of the building, bronze and stone sculpture, wood and ivory carvings, lamps, textiles, handicraft items, kuftgiri works and traditional musical instruments.

History of the MuseumThe 150 years old museum was established by Maharaja of Travancore in 1855.

Only few museums in India, like, Indian Museum Kolkata, Madras Government Museum Chennai, are contemporary to Napier Museum.

In 1874, a new building was constructed and was named after Lord napier, the then governor of Madras Presidency.

The Architectural masterpiece was designed by Mr. Chisoln, the consulting Architect of the Madras Government and the construction completed in 1880.

This 120 year old structure is a landmark in the city with its unique ornamentation and architectural style with gothic roof and minarets.

Museum AttractionsThe museum has a vast collection of artifacts of artistic, cultural and antique importance, which comprises sculptures in bronze and stone, carvings of wood and ivory, lamps, textiles, Kathakali models, handicraft items, Kuftgiri works, traditional musical instruments, a treasure of numismatic collections representing Chera, Chola, Pandya dynasties of Southern India.

The bronze display include 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 Napier Museum was established by the ruler of Travancore in 1855 and is named after the then Madras Governor, General John Napier.

Chisholm, its British architect, combined Kerala, Mughal, Chinese and Italian styles of architecture in his design.

This architectural splendour has a natural air conditioning system which keeps the museum pleasant in any weather.

VICTORIA PUBLIC HALL

An example of the Indo-Saracenic architecture, the Victoria Public Hall was designed by Robert Fellowes Chisholm (1840-1915) and built by Namberumal Chetty between 1888 and 1890.

Victoria Public Hall is a historical building in Chennai. It is one of the finest examples of British architectures in Chennai.

The National Art Gallery in the Museum complex can be considered the city’s first exhibition gallery.

Built in Mughal-Jaipuri style with a pink sandstone façade, Chennai polished cement finish inside and marble flooring, it was designed by Henry Irwin who succeeded Chisholm to create many of the best-known public buildings of Chennai

The building originated as an exhibition hall for the Victoria Technical Institute, founded to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and intended to help local craftsmen and nurture the traditional handicrafts.

When Queen Victoria died, the VTI decided to create a memorial for her and a home for itself. And so was raised one of the most striking buildings in Chennai, built as the Victoria Memorial Hall and Technical Institute and opening its doors in 1909.

AFTER INDEPENDENCE

After the War, the Central Government advocated a National Art Gallery in each of the four metros and the Victoria Memorial Hall consequently became Chennai’s National Gallery. Together, the neighbouring Gallery of Contemporary Indian Art, which opened in 1984, and the National Gallery have a valuable collection of paintings of the 19th and 20th Centuries, the only permanent art exhibit in town.

INTERIOR OF VTI MEMORIAL HALL

Use of jaipuri carving and ornamentation on entrance doors.

Even the look of shutter is as same as in jaipur.

LAXMI VILAS IN BARODA

Reputed as one of the most expensive buildings built in the 19th century, the elaborately designed Laxmi Villas Palace presents a fine example of the excellence of Indo-Saracenic architectural styles.

It has carved cedar ceilings, a silver throne and Italian mosaic. Outside are three pleasant courtyards filled with palms, European statuary, Italian marble and stained glass.

The palace also offers a huge collection of armor and sculptures that narrate the tales of a glorious ancient past. Visit to the palace is strictly on the permission from the Office of gaekwad

VIEW OF LAXMI VILAS PALACE

GENERAL POST OFFICE IN MADRAS

That heritage goes back to its inauguration on April 26, 1884, work on it having started 10 years earlier to a design by Robert Chisholm.

By then, Chisholm was well into his Travancore phase, after having completed the Napier Museum there, disdaining the European gothic style the Maharaja had been keen on and producing a splendid design that might be called Travancore – Saracenic

It was this style that he used for Madras's GPO, its basic features seen in the central hall, the towers, the high-pitched roofs and dormers.

. The arches, columns and other details are in cut stone, in the Ahmedabad style of art."

The building of the GPO marked the coming of age of the postal service in the headquarters of the southern Presidency.

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