Tag Archives: paintings

Cholamandal artists’ village

The village of Cholamandal is located between Mahabalipuram (40km) and Chennai (20km). It is a co-op of artists. You’ll find a large variety of paintings and craft on wood, steal or copper of quality, in a large exhibition room.

 

Inside this complex, there is a souvenir shop where you can get the excellent book, in English “Cholamandal An Artist’s Village*.”

 

Nearby is little café serving pastry in a lovely garden, the « Garden Restaurent, Shiraz ».

Garden Restaurent, Shiraz

Cholamanda is 50 minutes from Mahābalipuram (40km) by car. You can take the bus to Madras (Chennai).

* Cholamandal an Artist’s Village, edited by Josef James, Oxford University Press, Chennai India. ISBN 019 566988 6

Book Cholamandal

Website :

The National Art Gallery in Chennai is a “must”.

The Government Museum, the National Art Gallery and the Connemara Library :

If there is one place to visit in Chennai, it is the National Art Gallery. It is a treat for amateurs of art, paintings and sculpture.

To day, the same site accommodates the Government Museum, the National Art Gallery and the Connemara Public Library.

The Government Museum was built in 1851. It houses an exceptional collection of bronzes from South India, ancient and modern, among them the superb statues of Shiva Nataraja, Parvathi, Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman.

 

There are also sections dedicated to geology and anthropology, not very interesting

In the Amravati gallery, several rare marble sculptures dating back to the second century (CE) are exhibited. They show important events of Gautama Buddha’s his life. The sculptures were discovered during excavations on the site of Buddhist ruins in Amravati. Bronzes from the 10th to the 13th centuries and popular crafts from the 11th and 12th centuries are also to be found there.

In the National Art Gallery some magnificent paintings dating back to the 16th and 17th century from Rajasthan during the Mogul period are exhibited, along with Deccan art of the 18th century.

Entrance fees Opening time Closed on Telephone
Adult 15,00 INR 9h30 till 17h30 Friday 28193238
Child 10,00 INR