Wall Painting Conservation

There are a large number of wall paintings in India dating back to 2nd century B.C. or even earlier and continuing up to the present time (e.g. in Orissa and Kerala). Some from examples of wall painting sites are Ajanta, Ellora, Bagh, Badami and so on. Besides the famous examples, there are wall paintings inside several forts, palaces, temples, churches etc. Wall paintings are available not in one state but in all the states throughout the country.

Conservation of wall paintings require an interdisciplinary approach, physical and aesthetic unity with the architecture; their particular vulnerability, in that they constitute an extremely thin layer which is itself the interface between the support and the environment; the limitations on controlling potential agents of deterioration; and the scale and expense not only of intervention, but also of study and monitoring.

INTACH Conservation Centre, Lucknow has been involved in survey and documentation of wall paintings all over the state. It has done the conservation of wall paintings in different states, some of them are as follows: –

• Moti Mahal, Gwalior Fort, M.P.
• Hindi Bhawan, Kala Bhawan, China Bhawan, Path Bhawan, Shantiniketan, West Bengal.
• Haveli Surya Mall Mishran, Bundi, Rajasthan.
• Raghunathji temple, Rajasthan, Naithod Temple, Kerala.
• Kusum Van Sarovar, Vrindavan, U.P.
• Sira Temple, Karnataka.
• Brij Raj Swamy Temple, Nurpur, H.P.
• Amar Singh Palace, Nagaur Fort, Nagaur.
• Gang Shyamji Temple, Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
• Sri Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam, Tamil Nadu.
• St.Aloysius Chapel, Mangalore.
• Bethany Convent, Mangalore.
• Holy Name Cathedral, Mumbai.
• Dilwara Fort, Udaipur, Rajasthan.
• Mata Mansa Devi Temple, Panchkula, Haryana.
• Maratha Palace, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
• Golden Temple, Amritsar, Punjab.
• Sri 1008 Parshva Nath Digambar Jain Mandir, Gwalior.
• Virupaksha Temple, Hampi.
• Kamla Retreat, Kanpur.
• Shiv temple, Jammu.
• Shiv Temple, Raebareli.
• Shree Bhauji Sahiba Shivalaya, Balrampur.

Services offered
• Survey of present condition of wall paintings and report preparation.
• Scientific analysis of materials of paintings.
• Development of new conservation methods.
• Systematic conservation of paintings.
• Transfer of wall paintings.
• Training of conservators.