Arts and Interiors of Rashtrapati Bhavan: Lutyens and Beyond

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. The Battle of Styles in New Delhi: the political background/Partha Mitter. 2. Studying lutyens and his context/Naman P. Ahuja. I. Design Vocabulary. 3. Design a public inner world. 4. A catalogue of Artefacts/Naman P. Ahuja. II. Murals. 5. The politics of architectural decoration/Partha Mitter. III. Painting and Sculpture. 6. Painting colonial and modern at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 7. A catalogue of select artworks/Rebecca Brown. IV. Furniture. 8. Thrones, armoires, benches and more: eclectic appointments for a modern stately home. 9. A catalogue of select furniture/Laura Ongaro. V. Textiles. 10. From the flag above the dome to carpets beneath their feet. 11. A catalogue of select textiles/Monisha Ahmed. Bibliography. Index. This volume brings together the scholarly attention of different specialists on the history of art, visual culture, furniture, carpets and textiles, and paintings of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Their chapters provide an illuminating political and cultural history of the interior design of India's presidential residence which was originally designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens to be the house for the British viceroy. The book also provides a detailed catalogue of select artworks kept in the house. Rich illustrations reveal how the interiors stand now, and they are contrasted with archival photographs that show how the house has evolved over the past 90 years. The book also contains previously unpublished plans and sketches for the decor of the interiors of the house some of which date back to as early as 1914- these provide a rare glimpse into how it was originally intended.While the architecture of the actual edifice of the Rashtrapati Bhavan may be Lutyens's most enduring legacy, the interiors of the building preserve a much more versatile history.