Representing Architecture: How art influenced architecture

The Editorial Team

December 01, 2023

Artistic representation played a crucial role in shaping architectural styles and thinking in colonial India. European artists and architects were deeply influenced by the rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions of India, which, in turn, influenced their architectural designs. Artistic representations served as a bridge between cultures, leading to the incorporation of Indian motifs, styles, and decorative elements in colonial architecture. Here are a few ways in which artistic representation influenced architectural styles in colonial India, along with some examples.

William Simpson

Jama Masjid, Delhi

Collection: DAG

H. V. Pedersen

Gate of the Arab Sarai in Delhi

Oil on canvas, 47.5 x 38.1 cm.

Collection: DAG

Howrah Station, Kolkata

Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Influence on Decorative Motifs

Artistic representations, such as paintings and illustrations, showcased intricate Indian motifs, including floral patterns, ornate carvings, and traditional designs. European architects incorporated these decorative elements into their buildings, enhancing the visual appeal of colonial architecture.

The Howrah Railway Station in Kolkata, for instance, features decorative motifs inspired by Indian artistic traditions. Elaborate carvings and intricate designs adorn the building, reflecting the influence of Indian decorative arts on colonial architecture.

H. V. Pedersen

Delhi

Oil oncanvas, 62.2 X 39.9 cm.

Collection: DAG

Atul Bose

Victoria Memorial, Calcutta

1923, Oil on cardboard, 39.4 x 62.2 cm.

Collection: DAG

Architectural Revivalism

Artistic representations of historical Indian architecture, including ancient temples, Mughal forts, and palaces, inspired a revival of traditional architectural styles. European architects studied these representations and integrated elements from different historical periods into their designs, leading to the creation of hybrid architectural styles.

The Indo-Saracenic style emerged as a result of this fusion, combining elements of Islamic, Hindu, and Western architecture. This style aimed to create buildings that reflected the cultural diversity of India while incorporating features that were familiar to the colonial rulers. One prominent example of Indo-Saracenic architecture is the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata. Built between 1906 and 1921, this monumental structure was conceived to commemorate Queen Victoria. The architect, Sir William Emerson, incorporated elements from Mughal and Indo-Islamic architecture, such as domes, minarets, and intricate ornamentation, seamlessly blending them with European classical features. The Victoria Memorial is a testimony to how colonial architects revived and reinterpreted Indian architectural styles.

James Fraser

View of Court House Street from Near the South Eastern Gate of Government House

Handtinted engraving on paper

Collection: DAG

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur

Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

D. P. Roychowdhury

Untitled

Gouache and ink on paper

Collection: DAG

Synthesis of Cultures

Artistic representations served as a catalyst for cultural synthesis, where European architects and Indian craftsmen collaborated to create buildings that combined Western architectural principles with Indian artistic traditions. This collaboration resulted in unique architectural forms that reflected the cultural exchange between the East and the West.

The Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, designed by Henry Vaughan Lanchester and completed in 1943, is a splendid example of cultural synthesis. The palace combines Western Art Deco influences with traditional Indian architectural elements and intricate craftsmanship, creating a majestic architectural masterpiece.

Narendra Kesari Roy

High Court from the top of the Museum, Calcutta, 1933

Woodcut on newsprint paper laid on paper, 17.0 x 21.6 cm.

Collection: DAG

James Fraser

A View of Government House, from the Court house street, taken from the House of Johnson and Co.

1829, Engraving and aquatint, tinted with watercolour on paper

Collection: DAG

Kanwal Krishna

Calcutta Museum

1935, Watercolour on paper, 24.1 x 17.0 cm.

Collection: DAG

Public Buildings and Institutions

Artistic representations also influenced the construction of public buildings, educational institutions, and administrative offices in colonial India. These structures often featured architectural details and decorative elements inspired by Indian art, reflecting the colonial administration's attempt to establish a visual connection with the local culture.

The Indian Museum in Kolkata, designed by Walter Granville and completed in 1878, for instance, incorporates elements of classical European architecture and features decorative motifs inspired by Indian art. The museum's facade showcases intricate carvings and sculptures reminiscent of traditional Indian craftsmanship.

Paintings, drawings, sketches were made by many European and, later Indian, artists that influenced colonial architectural styles by providing inspiration for decorative motifs, encouraging architectural revivalism, fostering cultural synthesis, and shaping the design of public buildings and institutions.

These works went beyond the simple utility of the document or the record, since the nature of representation and the artists’ shifting responses to the value of indigenous architectural styles continued to inform the active ways in which engineers and architects were shaping the built environment around them. The fusion of artistic ideas from different cultures resulted, therefore, in the creation of distinctive architectural forms that continue to be admired for their unique aesthetic appeal and historical significance.