Nanda Das, The Pioneer, November 22, 2010
The story of photography in India holds the life and work of Raja Deen Dayal as its leading leitmotif. While his name is today synonymous with 19th-century photography, it must be remembered that he was celebrated in his own lifetime as well. Born in a small village near Meerut in Uttar Pradesh and a true patron of the Nizams of Hyderabad, some of Deen Dayal’s works have been displayed in an exhibition titled Raja Deen Dayal: The Studio Archives from the IGNCA Collection at the newly-opened twin galleries in Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) complex.
The IGNCA Archive has 2,857 glass plate negative in the collection from his studios in Secunderabad and Mumbai. More than 200 photographs of these have been reproduced for the exhibition by curators Jyotindra Jain and Pramod Kumar KG. “We acquired the studio archives of the renowned photographer from his sixth generation in August 1989. The significant objects in the collection included studio registers from the studios of his company, certificates, letters of commendation, cameras, lenses and a range of furniture and studio props,” says Jain.
Adds Pramod Kumar, “One of the basis for selecting the images for the exhibition was that each image reflected a certain degree of aesthetic, subjective, performative or ‘double entendre’ layering, evoking the Deen Dayal essence. His art works on Indian monuments have become a source of inspiration and early material for study of Indian art and architecture. His photography proved to be an effective tool to comprehend the decades old colony’s heritage of art, architecture and artisan, races, people and natural resources.”
Jain also points out that no attempt was made to “improve” these images in any manner. “Every precaution was taken to maintain the integrity of the photographer’s vision. Researchers painstakingly combed through several archives in India with extensive collections of Deen Dayal’s work to study and replicate original tones from his photographs. High resolution digital files of the selected images were cleaned and colour-corrected to present images in a condition closest to the original. Images were digitally enhanced to erase glass negative cracks, correct marginal loss of image due to emulsion loss or fungal attack,” he puts in.
The exhibition starts with Deen Dayal’s early documentation of the heritage monuments of central, western and northern India. Through his extensive recording of the palaces in Hyderabad and their lavishing interiors, one can easily find his allegiance and commitment to the sixth Nizam of Hyderabad, Mir Mehboob Ali Khan.
One of the photographs titled Street view Hyderabad focusses on the panoramic view of the city as seen from the upper floor of Faluknuma Palace where the Nizam lived. This commanding view of the city invokes a dual gaze. First, of the photographer himself in terms of the vantage point from where he clicked. Second, Nizam’s gaze of the city as imagined by the photographer.
It was during the years working with the Nizam that Deen Dayal’s work reached a zenith in the art of photography as well as in creating an exhaustive visual archive of the lifestyle of the Sixth Nizam of Hyderabad. In appreciation of his work, the Nizam bestowed upon him the title of “Raja” in 1894.
The celebrated photographer’s works also covered a lot of portraits of children in groups, especially those from the royal family. However, these were always clicked within the confines of palaces and private homes where they were more at ease with familiar people and surroundings. Said Jain, “In one of his letters, it was mentioned that babies and children are subjects that require patience, care and attention to obtain a photograph. A photo shoot in the studio was predictably more laborious due to the restless nature of the little ones.”
Working amid several accomplished European and Indian photographers in the second half of the nineteenth century, Deen Dayal distinguished himself as a photographer of great technical skill and aesthetic merit. All his studios used the strongest light that could be thrown upon the subject without causing any heavy shadow.
He also had the latest improvement in photographic apparatus, skilled operators and instantaneous plates which ensured good results with the shortest possible exposures.
The curators also draw your attention to the fact that Deen Dayal followed the aesthetic norms set for photographing the exterior of a heritage building, something he was a master at. “He almost invariably ensured that its architectural contours were clearly shown, uncluttered against the backdrop of the sky, even using a slight, low angle of required. The elimination of detail in the background landscape was made up for by the ample foreground, which not only established the monument in its broader location but also contributed towards its picturesque quality and scenic beauty,” informs Jain.
The actual display of the images in the exhibition follows a self narrative strategy, moving in loops, at times cross referencing and revisiting its element. The exhibition comes to an end with the last leg of photographic sojourn of Raja Deen Dayal and his sons.
There are a number of photographs that show the lensman surrounded by his sons but perhaps the best of them all is the one in which he, clad in an angarkha and a turban, were sitting with his four sons. The exhibition ends February 28.