Exhibition depicts old Bangalore through postcards

At the National Gallery of Modern Art in Vasanthanagar, a nostalgia-evoking exhibition titled ‘From Bangalore, with Love’ is on display. Curated by Clare Arni, Archana Hande and Suresh Jayaram, the collection displays 50 postcards depicting old Bangalore.

They capture scenes from the city from 1890 to 1910. The postcards are from the collection of Martin Henry (who was the director of Madura Coats) and his daughter Clare, who is a photographer. 

The pieces on display were selected from around 250 postcards of old Bangalore in Clare’s possession.

“The exhibition has been curated like a journey through the city. It features areas like Bangalore Cantonment, South Parade (now M G Road), the Pete area, Ulsoor (now Halasuru), Commercial Street, Cubbon Park and Lalbagh,” she shares.  

The collection captures a parade underway at Parade Ground, the buildings of Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospitals and Mayo Hall, among other places. Information about the history or story behind the places can be found at the bottom. 

“These postcards were smaller in size than the ones that are in circulation currently. I had them enlarged for the show. They are around 5-6 times their original size,” reveals Clare. 

Jayaram says the collection includes “anything picturesque that the British found interesting to send home”. “The collection showed the place they lived in and ruled. It is nostalgic and shows the landscape, the people, the social and cultural context of how Bengaluru was in that era,” he explains. 

Postcards depicting Russell Market, the Cantonment area, and churches on M G Road are other highlights. 

“In the recent past, postcards have become study material for anthropology — exploring how messages were exchanged between people and what they represented,” he adds.

‘From Bangalore, with Love’, until December 15, 10 am to 6 pm, at National Gallery of Modern Art, Palace Road, Vasanthnagar.