MUSEUMS
The Museums as repositories of cultural, historical, technical, industrial or other kinds of materials for preservation against decay and for transmis- sion to posterity as records for history and audio-visual means of education are an important aspect of education. The development of museums in all their ramifications is Considered important as on the one hand they pro- mote national integration and on the other, international understanding.
The Constitution of India makes the States primarily responsible for setting up and maintenance of museums. The Central Government has, however, set up a number of important museums and through its scheme of financial assistance provides funds, for the development of private museums, university museums etc. Great emphasis is laid on the documentation of the existing collection in the Government and private museums, preserva- tion of the collections by using latest scientific aids and publication of cata- logue of collection. Keeping in view the financial resources available it would be the endeavour of the Department of Culture to encourage cons- truction of museum buildings to house the antiquities. available in the various regions.
In the field of Indian art and archaeology the Central Government has established the National Museum, New Delhi, Indian Museum, Calcutta, and Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad. In the contemporary history and art, Victoria Memorial Hall, Calcutta, National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library are the three museums financed by the Government of India. The work done by the museums during the year is given briefly in subsequent paragraphs.
(i) MUSEUMS OF INDIAN ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY
National Museum, New Delhi Acquisition : The unique collections of the museum were further enlarged by acquiring outstanding art objects such as a Western Chalukyan bronze image of Uma Maheswara, 11th-12th Century A.D., miniature paintings and Persian and Arabic manuscripts on the history of Kashmir, 32 gold coins, Gayanas; Pagodas and Panams (all very rare) of ancient and medieval Karnataka; copper-plate grants, a beautiful Sunga bronze image of about 1st Century B.C.; a post-Gupta Mahishamardani and a Vishnu Vaikuntha bronze of 9th Century A.D. Kashmir.
Exhibitions : The following special exhibitions were organised
1. Ramayana showing the miniature paintings from the National Museum collection.
2. Special exhibition of "Thracian Art Treasures from Bulgaria". An international symposium was held on Thracian Art and Culture in which Indian and Bulgarian scholars participated.
3. Special exhibition to honour the 1400th anniversary celebrations of the Hijra Era entitled "Heritage of Islam".
A series of lectures and film programmes to coincide with the exhibi- tion were also organised.
Publications : An illustrated catalogue on the Thracian Treasures from Bulgaria; a brochure on Thanjavur paintings and a hand-list of exhibits in the Islamic Heritage exhibitions were brought out during the year. Conservation : The conservation laboratory organised a three-month course on conservation of manuscripts. In collaboration with the British Council, a three-week workshop on conservation of oil paintings was held.
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The British Council provided the services of an expert, Lord Alexander Dunluce, Keeper of Conservation Laboratory, Tate Gallery, London for the workshop.
Other Activities : A six weeks in-service training course in museology for trainees from various State Museums was held. The laboratory con- tinued to assist in the conservation of art objects from its own collection and from the collection of other institutions. A series of lectures were arranged including an illustrated lecture by Mine. E. Zannas, "Recently dis- covered ancient city in the Aegean Island of Santorini (Thera)"; lecture by Prof. I. Gardian, the Head of, the French Archaeological Mission in Afgha- nistan "Recent discoveries of Bronze Age and Kushan period in Bactria"; Dr. Anand Krishna of Banaras Hindu University on "Akbar School of Paintings"; Shri Karl J. Khandalavala "The Influence of Mughal Paintings on the Rajasthani School of Paintings".
The library added 600 books to its collection bringing the total number of books in the library to 29,000.
Indian Museum Culcutta Exhibitions :
(i) In observance of 200 years of study of inscriptions in India, an exhibition on biographical wealth of Bengal in the Indian Museum was organised. It included inscriptions on stone, copper plates, bricks, coins, manuscripts, ranging from 3rd Century B.C. to 19th Century A.D.
(ii) In collaboration with the French Cultural Centre and Alliance Francais, an exhibition on Original Lithographs by Honre'- Daumier was organised where 100 works were displayed.
(iii) On the occasion of 120th birth anniversary of the poet Rabindranath Tagore, an exhibition on Drawings by Rabindra- nath and Portraits of Rabindranath was organised.
(iv) In collaboration with the French Cultural Centre and Calcutta Art Society, an exhibition on the life and works of Picasso was held.
(v) An exhibition on KONDH; a tribe of Orissa was organised.
Under the title "Exhibit of the Mouth" objects of topical interest were displayed at the entrance hall. These objects were changed every month.,
Acquisition : (i) Forty-three paintings and line drawings of which Kalighat Paintings, Rajasthani paintings, oil paintings of the Dutch, Bengal School and water colour paintings and oil paintings by Abanindranath, Gagenedranath, Nandlal Bose, Asit Kumar Haider, Dhiren Dev Burman and Debiprasad Raychaudhuri, were collected. Six patachitras were also acquired from Midnapore Patuas.
(ii) Seven manuscripts of Apohasiddhi, Kshanabhangasidhi, Subhasita- samigraha, Dohakosha and one containing painted illustrations of various gestures (mudra) dated in Newari Samvat 852 (1732 A.D.) were col- lected.
(iii) Two stone sculptures and three bronze images were also acquired through gift and purchase.
(iv) A quarter portrait muhar of Jahangir, Silver medals of the Azad Hind Government and a brass one of George V were added to the Coin cabinet.
(v) One ivory plaque depicting Krishnalila and a carved wooden door from Orissa were also collected.
(vi) Of ethonological specimens collected in the course of field work in Orissa 170 specimens and artifacts of Kutia Kondh tribe deserve special mention.
(vii) Besides, 78 dolls and household utensils were received as gift from a lady in Calcutta.
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Publications The books, catalogues, bulletins and monographs pub-
lished during the period are :-
(i) Catalogue of Wood carvings in the Indian Museum by Dr.
Kalyan Kumar Dasgupta.
(ii) Indian Museum Bulletin, Volume 14.
(iii) Picture folder : Mughal Court Paintings, Tagore Album.
(iv) Set of picture post-cards on Ragamala paintings in Deccani
style,
(v) Annual Report (1979-80) Hindi.
Other Activities : A number of lectures, seminars were arranged by the
Museum. Notable among these were: the Annual Congress of the Epigra-
phical Society of India; a seminar 'Inscriptions of Bengal' and lectures
during the exhibitions at the Museum.
Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad Reorganisation of Galleries : The European Bronze gallery has been
reorganised on modern scientific lines.
Documentation of museum art objects : A total of 15,000 Index cards
were prepared and typed. 6430 art objects were physically verified with
the records of the Museum. 2497 Persian manuscripts and 4346 printed
books have also been physically verified. 5145 books have been classified-
and catalogued and 410 nos. of bibliography of articles prepared from art
journals.
(a) The work of category-wise listing and classification of objects has
been completed.
(b) Hundred fire arms in the Museum collection have been examined
by experts. Identification, dating and other data have been recorded.
(c) Individual labels of objects of Textile Gallery and European Bronze
Gallery have been prepared.
Educational Activities : Two temporary exhibitions were conducted
during this period. Two lectures and 6 gallery talks were delivered. Be-
sides this, one, Seminar on "Museum service for disabled" was organised
on April 25, 1981. Under the school visit scheme, 69 students visited the
Museum. They were given introductory talk and other assistance to see
the Museum. Film shows on art and culture were arranged at regular
intervals for the visiting public.
The Mobile exhibition, with new exhibits on Salar Jung Museum,
photographs and replicas, was sent to various schools, colleges and institu-
tions of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
To mark the International Year of the Disabled, the Museum was kept
open on July 10, 1981 (Friday, weekly holiday) specially for the, visit of
603 Disabled persons who were allowed free admission in the Museum.
Plaster casts and replicas on Indian sculptures were arranged for the blind
who were allowed to touch and feel the objects.
Other Activities: Bi-annual Research Journal Volume XIII and XIV
has been brought out. A 15 day practical demonstration course in Bronze
casting was held during the period. 656 art objects of various categories
were given complete, treatment. Eight oil paintings were also restored dur-
ing the period.
Scheme of Financial Assistance to Under the scheme of financial assistance to private museums, financial
private Museums assistance is provided for the museums managed by voluntary institutions,
societies, trusts, colleges, universities, municipal corporations etc. The
assistance is for the purchase of art objects, equipment, publications and
books for libraries. The museums are encouraged to complete documenta-
tion of the objects in their collection with assistance under the scheme.
A number of important museums within the university system have
been helped to document their collection and to bring out publications,
They are Bharat Kala Bhavan, Banaras Hindu University; Kausambi
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Museum, Allahabad University; and Asutosh Museum, University of Cal-
cutta. Assistance over the years has been given to the Prince of Wales
Museum, a major museum in the Western India to bring out publications,
for the reorganisation of galleries and for equipment.
The Department of Culture organises every year a Museum Camp to
which participants from the private museums are invited. The Camp
provides an opportunity to the participants to know the work being done in
the other museums in this field of documentation, publication and conser-
vation. The next Museum Camp was held in Trivandrum during January
1982 with the subject "Publication of Descriptive Catalogue and Documenta-
tion".
(ii) MUSEUMS OF CONTEMPORARY HISTORY AND ART
Victoria Memorial Hall To accelerate the work of reorganisation of the Victoria Memorial Hall,
Culcutta as the period museum covering 18th and 19th Century, an Advisory Com-
mittee has been constituted comprising the Chief Architect, Ministry of
Works and Housing, a representative of Department of Culture and
Archaeological Survey of India.
The Museum continued its normal activities during the year like popu-
lar lectures on modern Indian history and culture, restoration of Old Oil
paintings etc.
As a part of diamond jubilee of the opening of the galleries of the
Victoria Memorial Hall, a special exhibition called "Up the Country" on
the art treasures of the Hall was held in Delhi in November-December
1981 in collaboration with the Nehru Memorial Museum. A special exhi-
bition on the, "Making of New Delhi" was organised in collaboration with
the British Council.
National Gallery of Modern Art, The National Gallery of Modern Art continued its endeavour to enrich
New Delhi its collection by acquiring outstanding works of art and during the, period
under review 105 art objects were added in its collection. Twenty-six
works of aft which were purchased by Lalit Kala Akademi from the 4th
Triennale-India, have been received on perpetual loan.
The project of preparing bronze cast of a big monumental sculpture by
late Ram Kinkar Vaij titled "Santhal Family" presently displayed at Santi-
niketan has been initiated. This project is likely to be completed in the
next year.
A Graphic Wing displaying 52 graphics to show a chronological dove.
lopment of this art has been opened in the stair-case area of the Gallery.
The area of the international section. has been enlarged and 8 galleries have
been provided for section representing 147 works from different coun-
tries.
During the period under review approximately 2000 students and 304
teachers/adults of different schools and colleges from all over the country
visited the Gallery and were provided conducted tours. Screening of art
films for general public has been a regular feature on every Sunday at
11 A.M. throughout the year. The art films from the collection in the
gallery are also shown to the school groups and others. During this year
60 films shows were held in the Gallery.
The laboratory received 77 paintings for treatment. The Gallery
brought out publications "Radha's Viraha" by Nandlal Bose and "Raas
Leela" by K. N. Majumdar. Eight more reproductions are in the process
of printing.
A special exhibition of Rabindranath Tagore containing 85 works was
compiled by the National Gallery of Modern-Art for sending abroad under
the Cultural Exchange Programme. Out of these, 60 works were borrowed
from Rabindra Bhavan, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan. The following was
the schedule of the exhibition
(i) Bulgaria-Sofia
(ii) USSR--Moscow and Leningrad
(iii) East Germany-Berlin
(iv) Czechoslovakia-Prague