04 December,2010 06:15 AM IST | | Soma Das
The ongoing exhibition-cum-sale at the Cymroza Art Gallery provides access into a sepia-tinted India through lithographs, maps and books, dating as far back as the 16th century
When entrepreneur Dilnavaz Mehta took a break from organising the Rare Finds exhibition, in 2004, because she was pregnant, she was bombarded with calls from enthusiasts, who were looking forward to the biennial
exhibition of ancient prints.
A coloured lithograph showing a view of the Circular Road, Calcutta, by
Sir Charles D'oyly (1848). Sir Charles D'Oyly held various positions for
the East India Company, which led him to stay in Calcutta (Kolkata) and
Dhaka for several years. He painted villages and streets of Calcutta as
well as Mughal ruins in Dhaka
The reverence the items are treated with is something that Mehta is familiar with. Despite a background in science, and an MSc degree in Microbiology, Dilnavaz found her true calling in collecting rare Parsi memorabilia.
Curious to delve deeper, she armed herself with a diploma in Indian Aesthetics and started collecting original prints, engravings, etchings, old maps and rare books, which she has been exhibiting and selling through her company, Rare Finds, since 1995.
At the current exhibition (the sixth so far) there will be more than 500 items on sale. Each print is a one of a kind. Prices start at Rs 2,000 and go up to several lakhs.
"These artefacts make for excellent heirlooms and gifts. Each print, map and book is a story waiting to be told. Every item is a labour of love as the print-makers and artists toiled for years, even braving wars and attacks to visit the scene of action, observe, and portray a crucial moment in time," explains Mehta.
With every exhibition, she attempts to highlight lesser-known artists.
This time, the spotlight is on Sir Charles D'Oyly, Balthazar Francois Solvyns, EA Rodriguez, and John Gould among others.
Don't miss the old prints, including the ones which depict a female watermelon seller, a postman from the British Raj, a Jewish priest, as well as first-hand images from the 1857 War of Independence by Swedish soldier C Ulrich.
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Till December 6, 11 am to 7 pm
At Cymroza Art Gallery, 72, Bhulabhai Desai Road.
Call 23671983
