This art is on wheels

COLOUR PALETTE

At the tender age of nine, one look at the 1937 vintage Bentley in her father’s workshop, that had freshly been restored to its former glory, was all it took for her to make up her mind. At that very moment she knew that she wanted to capture the sight on canvas. This proved to be the beginning of her love affair with automotive art, although it was a lot many years later that she realised it was her calling.

“My great-grandfather, the Maharaja of Barwani, who was absolutely crazy about cars, imported them all the way from Europe and America, and then there was my father, Manvendra Singh, who pioneered the art of vintage and classic car restoration in India, way back in the 1970’s. My brother writes for the country’s leading automotive publications, while my two-and-a-half-year-old son Prithviraj, contributes his bit by taking his toy replicas apart,” laughs Vidita, (31) who is one of India’s first few automotive artists.

It would seem like an exaggeration, but for someone who is a fourth generation serious automobile lover, starting right down from her great-grandfather to her son who have equally been enamoured by automobiles, it seems the Barwani family has pure carbon instead of blood running through their veins!

As I sat admiring the painting of the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost with its gleaming chrome, my eyes fell on another framed canvas depicting the interiors of a red Ferrari, the steering wheel with the unmistakable prancing horse logo and the gear shift. It all looked so realistic that I almost reached out to turn the ignition key and awaken the raw power.

Just as I was beginning to picture the Ferrari hanging above the mantelpiece in my living room, I was brought out of my reverie to hear Vidita disclose, “I always liked to paint but the thought of it all shaping into a career never occurred to me.

Thankfully, it was my father who encouraged me to take up auto art as a profession and then there was no looking back.” The image of the Bentley that she carried in her head as a child finally got transferred onto canvas and today hangs proudly in her father’s study.

With her mind made up, Vidita went on to pursue a Master’s degree in the History of Art, “to achieve greater insight into the art world”. Thereafter, she opted for shorter courses in art appreciation and finished off with a stint in art restoration in Florence. But automotive art as she knows it, in all her works today, is primarily a result of her own efforts, whereby she has painstakingly worked upon and improved her style over the years.

Quite often she draws her inspiration from faded black and white photographs of cars which have graced the royal photo albums for decades. “Once I’ve picked the car I want to paint, I try and dig out the story behind it. Like when I was painting the Rolls-Royce that belongs to the Maharaja of Mayurbhanj, I took the historic details into consideration and added the hunting light which was specially ordered by the Maharaja to be put on the car.”

The exclusivity of her art lies in the fact that, perhaps, Vidita is the only artist in India who has successfully portrayed a realistic picture of the automobile heritage of India. Her paintings offer an insider’s view into the world of Indian royalty and their fascination with vintage wheels. And talking of exclusivity, she adds that her great-grandfather incidentally was the first royal to bring in a steam car to Central India in 1906.

Indian rajas, maharajas and heads of state have been known to have ordered cars to suit their tastes, requirements and eccentricities. There were cars specially customised for Indian roads and the weather. Car parts were either added or done away with, to suit their fancy. While most princes preferred stylish sports cars, the maharajas ordered cars to be used for touring the state, as shikaar vehicles, ceremonial or wedding procession rides, or to be given away as dowry for princesses. Then there were also those that were custom-built as ‘purdah cars’ for the women of the raj.

One such car that Vidita has been commissioned to paint is the ‘Swan car’ acquired by the Maharaja of Nabha, which was custom-built in the shape of a swan. Though the car in no longer with the Nabha family, the unique car, painted with their historical palace as the backdrop, will successfully depict two of the royal family’s most cherished possessions ever.

Vintage and classic cars carry oodles of character and charisma for Vidita. Her canvasses come to life with realistic impressions of Cadillacs, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, Dodge Vipers, Jaguars and the Bugatti.

Rajkumari Vidita Singh chooses to display her work at various car rallies and shows, with the most recent one being at the Cartier event. While interest in automotive art in India is yet to catch up with the rest of the world, it is evident that with events like the Cartier ‘Travel with Style’ Concours d’Elegance held in New Delhi last month, where a unique collection of India’s best automobiles were showcased, more and more people are realising the value of vintage and classic cars, and along with it, the value of auto art.

“Apart from Delhi, I’m working towards taking my exhibitions to Mumbai and Bangalore, amongst other cities. On the international level, I hope to take my work to France and Europe as they are the biggest stations for automotive art and it would be nice to have my work find recognition there,” says Vidita.

It was eleven years ago when Vidita sold her first painting. The money, I was surprised to hear, is carefully tucked away in an envelope and kept safe. This just reiterates the fact that cars from the bygone eras occupy a very special place in her heart and her work for her is sacred. “Money doesn’t give me the inspiration to paint, it’s the colour, the chrome and the charisma of the cars that do,” she signs off.