HISTORY

OF
ARCHITECTURE

ARCHITECT :
ROBERT F. CHISHLOM

SUBMITTED BY :
SHOBHIKA JOHN 2K6/ARCH/626
 INTRODUCTION
 Chisholm, one of the most gifted English
architects working in India and a vehement
supporter of Indian craftsmen said "those
men have an art language of their own, a
language which you can recognise but
cannot thoroughly understand.
 For this reason an architect practising in
India should unhesitatingly select to practice
in the native styles of art - the natural art-
expression.“
 Robert Fellowes Chisholm arrived in Madras
(Chennai) from England in 1865 where he
became the first head of the School of
Industrial Art and designed a number of
 He was very sensitive kind of person.
 As other British architect , he was something
different from other ,in case of thinking.
 Chisholm, Henry Irwin and Gilbert Scott were
among the leading practitioners of the time.
 He was a vehement supporter of Indian
craftsmen, "the men who will actually leave the
impress of their hands on the material. These
men have an art language of their own, a
language which you can recognize but cannot
thoroughly understand. For this reason an
architect practicing in India should
unhesitatingly select to practice in the native
styles of art - indeed the natural art-expression
of the men is the only art to be obtained in the
 The building was
designed by
Chisholm in the
very electic Indo-
Saracenic style,
which blended
European and
Islamic styles of
architecture.
HIS MAJOR WORKS IN INDIA
 UNIVERSITY SENATE HOUSE IN MADRAS
 REVENUE BOARD BUILDING IN MADRAS
 POST AND TELEGRAPH BUILDING
 VICTORIA PUBLIC HALL IN MADRAS
 NAPIER MUSEUM IN TRIVENDRURAM
 LAXMI VILAS IN BARODA
UNIVERSITY SENATE HOUSE
 Location:
 University of
Madras Campus
 Built In:
 1873
 Designed By:
 Robert Fellowes
Chisholm
 Senate House of Chennai is definitely a
worth watching monument in Tamil Nadu.
 It is located at the campus of University of
Madras, near the Marina Beach.
 It is truly an architectural marvel and was
constructed under the supervision of one of
the greatest architects of the 19th century,
Robert Fellowes Chisholm.
 The foundation of this monument was laid in
1869 and was successfully completed by the
year 1873.
 The Senate House was once the hallmark of
the ancient city of Madras.
 Its structure is a creative
and harmonious blend of
Indo-Saracenic style, with
Byzantine architectural
features.
 The central room of Senate
Hall is huge in
measurement and is
supported with six
mammoth stone pillars on
each side.
 The front side of these
entrances was marked with
elegant porticos. At the
corner of these porticos,
there is a small domed size
structure which adds up to
the beauty of the
 The building is surrounded by four
spearing towers, flanked by exquisite
domes, painted in different colors. This
adds to the magnanimity and splendor of
the monument. Apart from this, there is
an entrance towards the north, which
leads to the convocation hall.
 The entrance towards the south is linked
with rooms on the southern wing.
Besides, there are two entrances on east
and west side of the Senate House.
 The Senate House
had a great utility
once, as it housed
some of the
university
departments as
well as the offices
of the Vice-
Chancellor and
Registrar.
 The four corner
towers of Senate
 INTERIOR OF THE
SENATE HOUSE
 INTREIOR OF
SENATE HOUSE
CONTAIN
COLOURED
DESIGNS ON THE
WALLS .
 EVEN WINDOW
GLASSES ARE ALSO
STAINED WITH
COLOURFUL GLASS
WITH DESIGNS.
NAPIER MUSEUM IN
TRIVENDRUM
 Location
The Napier Museum is situated in
Trivandrum, capital city of Kerala.
 Attractions
Architecture of the building, bronze and
stone sculpture, wood and ivory carvings,
lamps, textiles, handicraft items, kuftgiri
works and traditional musical
instruments.
 History of the Museum
The 150 years old museum was
established by Maharaja of
Travancore in 1855.
 Only few museums in India, like,
Indian Museum Kolkata, Madras
Government Museum Chennai, are
contemporary to Napier Museum.
 In 1874, a new building was
constructed and was named after
Lord napier, the then governor of
Madras Presidency.
 The Architectural masterpiece was
designed by Mr. Chisoln, the
consulting Architect of the Madras
Government and the construction
completed in 1880.
 This 120 year old structure is a
landmark in the city with its
unique ornamentation and
architectural style with gothic roof
and minarets.
 Museum Attractions
The museum has a vast
collection of artifacts of
artistic, cultural and antique
importance, which comprises
sculptures in bronze and
stone, carvings of wood and
ivory, lamps, textiles,
Kathakali models, handicraft
items, Kuftgiri works,
traditional musical
instruments, a treasure of
numismatic collections
representing Chera, Chola,
Pandya dynasties of Southern
India.
 The bronze display include
fascinating images of Siva,
Vishnu, Parvathi and Lakshmi
in 'Silpa Sastras'. The metal
images illustrate the features
 The Napier Museum was
established by the ruler
of Travancore in 1855
and is named after the
then Madras Governor,
General John Napier.
 Chisholm, its British
architect, combined
Kerala, Mughal, Chinese
and Italian styles of
architecture in his
design.
 This architectural
splendour has a natural
air conditioning system
which keeps the museum
pleasant in any weather.
VICTORIA PUBLIC HALL
 An example of the Indo-Saracenic
architecture, the Victoria Public Hall was
designed by Robert Fellowes Chisholm
(1840-1915) and built by Namberumal
Chetty between 1888 and 1890.
 Victoria Public Hall is a historical
building in Chennai. It is one of the finest
examples of British architectures in
Chennai.
 The National Art Gallery in the Museum
complex can be considered the city’s first
exhibition gallery.
 Built in Mughal-Jaipuri style with a pink
sandstone façade, Chennai polished
cement finish inside and marble flooring,
it was designed by Henry Irwin who
succeeded Chisholm to create many of
 The building originated as an exhibition
hall for the Victoria Technical Institute,
founded to commemorate Queen
Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and intended to
help local craftsmen and nurture the
traditional handicrafts.
 When Queen Victoria died, the VTI
decided to create a memorial for her and
a home for itself. And so was raised one
of the most striking buildings in Chennai,
built as the Victoria Memorial Hall and
Technical Institute and opening its doors
AFTER INDEPENDENCE
 After the War, the
Central Government
advocated a National Art
Gallery in each of the
four metros and the
Victoria Memorial Hall
consequently became
Chennai’s National
Gallery. Together, the
neighbouring Gallery of
Contemporary Indian Art,
which opened in 1984,
and the National Gallery
have a valuable
collection of paintings of
the 19th and 20th
Centuries, the only
permanent art exhibit in
INTERIOR OF VTI MEMORIAL
HALL
 Use of jaipuri
carving and
ornamentation on
entrance doors.
 Even the look of
shutter is as same
as in jaipur.
LAXMI VILAS IN BARODA
 Reputed as one of the most expensive
buildings built in the 19th century, the
elaborately designed Laxmi Villas Palace
presents a fine example of the excellence of
Indo-Saracenic architectural styles.
 It has carved cedar ceilings, a silver throne
and Italian mosaic. Outside are three
pleasant courtyards filled with palms,
European statuary, Italian marble and
stained glass.
 The palace also offers a huge collection of
armor and sculptures that narrate the tales
of a glorious ancient past. Visit to the palace
is strictly on the permission from the Office
VIEW OF LAXMI VILAS
PALACE
GENERAL POST OFFICE IN
MADRAS
q That heritage goes back
to its inauguration on
April 26, 1884, work on it
having started 10 years
earlier to a design by
Robert Chisholm.
q By then, Chisholm was
well into his Travancore
phase, after having
completed the Napier
Museum there,
disdaining the European
gothic style the Maharaja
had been keen on and
producing a splendid
design that might be
called Travancore –
Saracenic
 It was this style that he used for Madras's
GPO, its basic features seen in the central
hall, the towers, the high-pitched roofs
and dormers.
 . The arches, columns and other details
are in cut stone, in the Ahmedabad style
of art."
 The building of the GPO marked the
coming of age of the postal service in the
headquarters of the southern Presidency.
THANK YOU