History

The idea of a national art gallery took shape in 1938, when an artists’ organisation, the All India Fine Arts and Craft Society (AIFACS) first highlighted the need for an art institution in the cultural landscape of India. With the dawn of India as an independent nation, it became imperative that the artistic heritage of modern India be showcased at a distinguished platform of a national level. Subsequently at an art conference in Calcutta, organised by the Government of India in 1949, a resolution was passed for the setting up of a national art gallery.

The National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi was formally inaugurated by Vice President Dr S Radhakrishnan on March 29, 1954 under the patronage of the then Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and bureaucrat Humayun Kabir. The stately Jaipur House which housed the headquarters of Lalit Kala Akademi was specially selected for unveiling the masterworks of modern Indian art. The inauguration was marked by an exhibition of sculptures curated by its first director, eminent art historian Herman Goetz who had previously served as the director of Baroda Museum. The exhibition was a huge success with the participation of prominent sculptors of the time like DP Roy Chowdhury, Ramkinkar Baij, Sankho Chaudhuri, Dhanraj Bhagat and others.

Today NGMA is a leading art museum that has become a hub for art aficionados and also attracts people from all walks of life. Since its inception, the National Gallery of modern Art has continually evolved to expand its role in the field of education and research. It has striven to keep the common man engaged with art and culture by organising interdisciplinary art workshops, lectures and community driven projects.

Architecture of Jaipur House

Jaipur House is a heritage building at India Gate that once served as the Delhi town house for the royal family of Jaipur. It was constructed in 1938 for Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II (r1922-1949) and Maharani Gayatri Devi. Designed in the architectural style of the British Raj by Charles G Blomfield and his brother Francis, Jaipur House reflected the hybrid architecture of New Delhi. It became one of the last embers of a style that would soon fade out. Like the other princely palaces around India Gate, it is laid out in a butterfly-shaped floor plan with a truncated dome that takes inspiration from the dome of the Sanchi stupa. The facade is clad with a muted combination of buff and red Dholpur sandstone in a direct reference to the glory of past dynasties of Delhi who chose to build in that very medium. The architectural style of Jaipur House presents an interesting mix of Lutyenesque architecture incorporating Classical, Buddhist, Rajput and Mughal elements with late Art Deco ornamentation. Its luxurious interiors were designed by Robert Lutyens, the son of Sir Edwin Lutyens.

The New Wing

In 2009, three new blocks were added which increased the floor area of the museum by six times. The administration block contains office spaces, a cafe, preview theatre, auditorium and an art reference library. One block is devoted to special exhibitions and houses a conservation laboratory while the other displays a permanent exhibition, a souvenir shop and an area for workshops and talks. The gallery floors are spread out on four levels with flexible display options. The new gallery is designed to maximise natural light for viewing. In a move towards sustainability, energy saving, sensor-controlled ambient lighting systems are in use. The team of architects behind the new blocks, was selected after winning an all-India design competition held in 1985. Also clad in sandstone, the modern facade of the new buildings blends seamlessly in with Jaipur House.