Photo 212/5(42)

Genre: Architectural Photography

Interior of the verandah of the summer palace, showing richly inlaid walls. Another copy of this print at Photo 1000 (3096). Lyon's 'Notes to accompany a series of photographs prepared to illustrate the ancient architecture of Southern India' (Marion and Co., London, 1870), edited by James Fergusson, gives the following description of this photograph: '448 - is a view of one of the corridors, and gives some idea of the ornamentation as well as of the architecture of this beautiful little building; but, unfortunately, can convey none of the brightness, and, at the same time, harmony of the colouring which is its peculiar characteristic. To the casual observer the walls appear to be richly gilded; but in reality, a composition is used, made of glue and lead, mixed together and then spread on paper and dried in the sun. It is then burnished with a smooth stone, till it has the appearance of gold, when it is cut into strips and pasted on the walls; the intervals being filled up with flowers and other designs, painted in oils of the brightest colours. The doorways both below and above are entrances to the large rooms which occupy the centre of the building.'