College of Fine Arts at Palayam seems to be far away from the chaos and clamour that engulf the busy road in the front. The building, akin to the neighbouring Public Library, V.J.T. Hall, and the University College, dons a typical Victorian ‘Red Brick’ coat and confines itself within the handsomely designed wrought iron railings. The edifice that houses the main block of the prestigious institution was constructed in 1888, during the reign of Sree Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma, the then Maharaja of erstwhile Travancore.
The history of formal Western academic art education in Travancore can be traced back to the last decades of nineteenth century. However, the history of Fine Arts College goes further back, connecting it with the guild of ivory craftsmen of Travancore.
The Fine Arts College in Thiruvananthapuram was originally established as the ‘Dantha Āppis’ (corrupted form of ‘Dantha (ivory) Office’) where ivory artefacts were produced for the royals and top brass of the administration. The Travancore State Manual states that “…from 1048 M.E. (1872-73), there existed a school for carving in ivory attached to the Huzur Office. In 1060 M.E. (1884-85) the institution consisted of two designers, an accountant, five ivory carvers and a peon, the aggregate cost of the establishment not exceeding Rs. 112 per mensem. This, in process of time, developed into the Industrial School of Arts”. It was during the last decades of nineteenth century that the Dantha Āppis became known as the School of Arts, when it was thoroughly remodelled in line with the Madras School of Arts (present Government Fine Arts College, Egmore, Tamilnadu). In 1887-88, the Dantha Āppis was integrated with the newly founded School of Arts.
Following the reorganisation, the courses at the School was split into two sections; art and industrial branch. The industrial branch was associated with the manufacture of lacquer work, kuft-gari, carving on wood, ivory, horn, coconut shell, pottery and porcelain.
K. Hari, a descendant of some of the earliest employees in the Dantha Āppis recalls his visits to the School of Arts.“In those days (early 1940s) the ivory craftsmen had a separate workspace,” says Hari. “There was a pandal constructed in the middle of the courtyard of the majestic school building. The thatch roof of the pandal was supported on bamboo pillars and was surrounded on four sides by half walls covered with bamboo trelliswork. The pandal was constructed in such a way to supply the craftsmen with adequate natural light and air supply. Inside the workshop there were wooden benches and desks where the craftsmen sat and did their work.”
A snap from a private collection that shows students at School of Arts in the 1940s
Porinchukutty, artiste and former Principal of Fine Arts College says; “From its conception as the ‘Dantha Āppis’, the workspace for the ivory carvers, the School had given no priority to drawing and painting till the beginning of twentieth century. The School had wood carving, pottery and textile departments, which occupied much space within the small campus.”
Later, the pottery, carving and textile departments were relocated to Vattiyoorkavu. The campus at Palayam was set apart exclusively for Painting, Applied Arts and Sculpture departments.In 1975 the school was upgraded as the College of Fine Arts and got affiliated to the University of Kerala. Thus the old Dantha Āppis had completely evolved from being an ‘Industrial School of Arts’ to its present status.
(The author is a conservation architect and history buff)
