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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
dents and lovers of art in Baroda with a pictorial chart of the rise and development of painting in the chief countries of Europe for careful study,
The Maharaja entrusted the task of collecting these paintings to the late Mr. Marion H. Spiclmann, a London connoisseur of art, and he performed his task admirably, as the collection gives a pictorial summary of the course of European Art almost from its beginning, down to the present time. The collection is housed in a special building provided by the latc Maharaja, as annexure to the museum building. Mr. Spiclmann completed the task of collection between 1910-1914. But it could be brought to India only in 1920, as it had to be stored in London during the period of World War 1. When in England, it was exhibited, for a brief period, in the Victoria and Albert Muscum, London.
lo the collection, the Byzantine School from which European pictorial art grow, is represented by a painting belonging to the Mount Athos School of the 15th-16th centuries A.D. Amongst the other carlier paintings, a Flemish panel, “Deposition from the Cross", by the School of Rogier Van der Weyden and "Rest during Flight into Egypt", by the School of de Bles are very interesting.
The Italian School at its height, is represented by an admirable copy of the painting,"an Death of Peter Martyr", by Titian. This is of special significance, as the original, onc of the rarest pictures in the world, was destorycd in Venice by fire in 1874. The copy adheres in all details to the original Titian. Other Italian masters such as Pulige, Veronesc, Schiavone, Rosa, Strozzi, Paolo de Mattcis, Piazetta, Tiepolo, Longhi and Cignaroli are also represented.
The most outstanding amongst the paintings of the Spanish School, is the dignificd portrait of the third wife of Philip II by Coclo, Zurbaran, Ribera and Cano are also represented.
The portrait of Catherine of Braganza, (the wife of King Charles Il of England) is the only representative painting of Portugese art in the gallery. This painting is of special historical interest to India, for her marriage with King Charles brought him a dowry of *50,000 and the Island of Bombay.
The Flemish School of painting is well represented in the Baroda Gallery. There is a brilliant portrait of Frederic de Marselcar by Rubens, the greatest painter of the Flemish School, was notable also in his days for skill in diplomatic Foreign Service. A period of cight years spent in Italy in the service of the Duke of Mantua enabled him to make a thorough study of the art of the great Vanctians, which was shown at Brussels in 1910 in the cxhibition of 17th century Flemish art. There are, in addition, works by T.van Thulden, Martin Ryckacrt, David Teniers, Horemann and Jan Fyt. The Dutch School is represented by Collier, Otto van Veen, Verspronck, Strock, Weenix, Stoop, Potter and several others.
The carliest examples of French art in the Baroda collection arc by Poussin.
ulis. Elvirzais - zulsel.-4d.-Bal., 2001.82
For Private and Personal Use Only
