Herbert Art Gallery Private viewing of ‘Arts and Crafts of Punjab Exhibition’ in Coventry

Herbert Art Gallery Private viewing of ‘Arts and Crafts of Punjab Exhibition’ in Coventry. Written By: Karam Bharij

The Board of Trustees of Culture Coventry invited interfaith groups and Coventry based associations to join them for a private view of Crafts of the Punjab.To discover the V&A’s South Asian Collection on Thursday 26 October, 6− 8 pm, at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.

Drawing on the exceptional collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, this exciting exhibition has been created especially for the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum.It presents an extensive range of the arts and crafts made across the Punjab from the 2nd to the 19th century.

The exhibition includes objects that have never been displayed before, exquisite examples of craftsmanship and provides a rare opportunity to see the Golden Throne of the first Sikh Maharaja of the Punjab – Maharaja Ranjit Singh, outside London.

The throne was designed and created by the goldsmith Hafiz Muhammad Multani who made this throne for Maharaja Ranjit Singh, probably in 1805-1810. It clearly shows the splendour of Ranjit Singh’s court.

The throne was part of the State Property taken by the British in 1849 on the annexation of Punjab, after the Second Anglo-Sikh War, and was displayed with other treasures of the British Empire at the Great Exhibition in 1851. It is kept in the V & A Museum .

It is commendable that the collection has been maintained in mint condition by V & A museum for one hundred and sixty six years.