RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Colours from the brushes of great yesteryear artist Damerla Rama Rao communicate their feelings, speak about nature, touch different facets of life and pursue many aspects of art.
The heritage art gallery dedicated to artist Damerla Rama Rao is a feast for the eyes of the visitors. His works – 34 fully finished paintings in oil, 129 in water colours, 250 sheets of studies in pencil, 26 sketchbooks and a large number of loose sketch sheets show the brilliance of the artist.
Major oil paintings such as ‘Krishna Leela’ (1921), ‘Godavari of Eastern Ghats’ (1921),’ ‘Milkmaids of Kathiawar’ ( 1923) are worth crores of rupees. The popular water colour sketches like ‘Siddartha Ragodayam’ on Gautama Buddha, ‘Summer moon’ imagination, ‘Kaika, and ‘Nandi Puja’ at the Kakatiyas’ Siva temple in Warangal show the evolution of art.
Besides the works of Damerla Rama Rao, the art gallery also houses the works of his sister Buchikrishnamma and his wife Satyavani. Damerla Rama Rao, who passed away on February 6, 1925, made a significant contribution to the enrichment of art forms. He emerged as an artist in his own right half a century after Raja Ravi Varma. ‘The Andhra Society of Indian Art’ in Rajamahendravaram, his hometown, heralded a renaissance in art in the Andhra area.
His works were well composed and decorative in nature like those of Puvs de Chavannes, the post-Impressionist artist of Paris. Rama Rao showed a very special ability and a keen interest in painting which was spotted by Sir OJ Couldrey, principal of the Rajamahendravaram Arts College, who took him to Ajanta and Ellora for sketching the frescos and sculptures.
It is said that Viceroy Lord Reading was so impressed with Rama Rao’s works that he purchased the painting “Godavari of Eastern Ghats.
The government took over the Damerla Rama Rao Memorial Art Gallery in 1984, which was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. The foundation for the second building was laid by Durgabai Deshmukh.
Priceless art works to be restored
P Veerabhadra Rao, caretaker of the art gallery, said that they sought the officials to renovate the paintings at a cost of `1 crore. Seshukumari, convener of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), New Delhi, said, “On an average 50 art lovers visit the gallery on weekdays and around 300 visit the gallery on weekends and holidays. The entry is free of cost and the gallery will be opened from 9 am to 12 pm and from 2 pm to 5 pm. The gallery will be closed on Fridays.”
V Nageswara Rao, principal of Government Polytechnic, Bommuru, said as the ravages of time and fungus have taken a heavy toll on the paintings and highlighted the need to preserve them.