The latest book in a series on the collections at the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, City Palace, Jaipur is published by Niyogi books. Titled 'Masterpieces at the Jaipur Court', the book brings to readers some of the most exquisite images of artefacts, paintings, monuments and historical treasures of the Jaipur Court.
The previous books in the series are: 'Festivals at the Jaipur Court', 'Textiles & Garments at the Jaipur Court', 'Arms & Armour at the Jaipur Court', and 'Painting and Photography at the Jaipur Court'. As their title suggest, each of the previous books focused on one particular aspect of the City Palace in Jaipur museum's collection. However, the new book 'Masterpieces at the Jaipur Court' showcases the highlights of the collection as a whole.
The new book also features contributions from several Indian and international scholars — who contributed two-thirds of the entries in this volume. 'Masterpieces at the Jaipur Court' is edited by historians Giles Tillotson and Mrinalini Venkateswaran.
Talking about the new book, Venkateswaran, who works as Museum Consultant at the City Palace in Jaipur, said, “This book is a fantastic testament to Jaipur’s treasures, and the generosity of visiting scholars to the Museum who contributed entries readily. We wanted their individual voices, and passion for these objects to connect with our readers and visitors, and hope it inspires others to learn more about, or research the collections... But it is also a beautiful book — almost gorgeous enough to eat, one person said to me — so it’s meant to be enjoyed too, whether before or after a visit to Jaipur!"
“This book presents a selection of the finest objects from the City Palace across all categories — from paintings, textiles and arms, to manuscripts and photographs and the fine buildings that house them. Ideal as a souvenir for visitors and a great overview of the collections for those currently unable to visit us in person,” said co-editor Tillotson, who is currently the senior vice-president of Museum Exhibitions at New Delhi-based art company DAG.
According to the publishers, 'Masterpieces at the Jaipur Court' will be of interest to both the expert and the general reader.
(With inputs from PTI)