Ojas Art’s Newest Exhibition — The Princely Cabinet
Ojas Art has opened its gates for its latest exhibition, ‘The Princely Cabinet.’ Running from December 6 to January 12, 2025, you can find museum-worthy objects across genres and collectables like textiles, sculptures, paintings, maps and objects. Be privy to paintings and visual arts by masters like Balu Lal Joshi, Jivya Soma Mashe, Jaidev Bahgel, Madan Mahatta, Sohan Qadri and Krishna Reddy.
The Relationship of ‘The Princely Cabinet’ to the Cabinet of Curiosities
Historically, Cabinets of curiosities were encyclopedic collections of objects whose categorical boundaries were, in Renaissance Europe, yet to be defined and emerged in the 16th century. The term cabinet originally described a room rather than a piece of furniture. In addition to the most famous and best-documented cabinets of rulers and aristocrats, members of the merchant class and early practitioners of science in Europe formed collections that were precursors to museums.
Cabinets of curiosities served not only as collections to reflect the particular interests of their curators but also as social devices to establish and uphold rank in society. There are said to be two main types of cabinets. As R. J. W. Evans notes, there could be “the princely cabinet, serving a largely representational function, and dominated by aesthetic concerns and a marked predilection for the exotic,” or the less grandiose, “the more modest collection of the humanist scholar or virtuoso, which served more practical and scientific purposes.”
Why is Ojas Art’s ‘The Princely Cabinet’ Making Waves?
Ojas Art’s ‘The Princely Cabinet’ is a unique collection in all senses. In textiles, there are traditional embroideries (Punjabi Phulkaris, a German lace Pichwai painting depicting Krishna and the ‘gopis’ made in the early 20th century. A rare selection of totem poles, furniture and the tribe’s chief chairs from the Konyak and Wancho tribes are a focal point of the exhibition. In addition, you can witness a selection of maps and miniatures, without which no cabinet is complete!
Tucked away in a corner is the ultimate cabinet, boasting the ultimate jewellery objects, like an emerald perfume bottle weighing more than 100 carats, a pill box made of the most exquisite meenakari work, and idols of gods and goddesses in rubies and emeralds.
Anubhav Nath on ‘The Princely Cabinet’
“In Putting Together The Princely Cabinet, I went through the various objects I have collected over the decades. This is a one-of-a-kind exhibition with unique objects for collectors and connoisseurs, and it will help recognise the gallery’s role in collection building. Through the exhibition, we hope to have varied outreach activities to build on new audiences,” said Anubhav Nath, Director of Ojas Art.
Image Courtesy – Ojas Art
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