Rare paintings at Colombo National Museum

The newly renovated Painting Gallery at the Colombo National Museum opened its doors to the public on July 21, 2010.

The gallery was officially opened by National Heritage and Cultural Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi in the presence of National Museums Director Dr Nanda Wickramasinghe, HSBC Chief Executive Officer Sri Lanka and Maldives Nick Nicolaou, Head of Sales, Payments and Cash Management, HSBC Asia Pacific Richard Jaggard, Senior Government and Museum officials and special invitees. The Paintings Gallery is the 10th gallery of the Colombo National Museum that has been refurbished under the patronage of HSBC, to preserve the rich culture and heritage of Sri Lanka, a project initiated in 2004.

Expressing her views on the overall project, Minister of National Heritage and Cultural Affairs Pavithra Wanniarachchi said, “When we develop a country it should be in all aspects, economic, social and cultural. We are very grateful to HSBC for having contributed towards the culture of the country.

There are many companies who allocate funds for Corporate Sustainability work, but HSBC is a unique example, in showing how their money was used meaningfully for the benefit of the country.

In doing this you have touched the hearts of our society as culture is a sensitive subject and we thank you for the service you have rendered to the nation.” HSBC Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka and the Maldives Nick Nicolaou stated, “HSBC has had a long-standing presence in Sri Lanka since 1892 and as the world’s local bank, HSBC is very much committed to a sustainable corporate business and one thing we do all over the world is to give back to the communities we operate in.”

The newly redesigned and refurbished Painting Gallery comprises a large collection of ancient paintings by veteran painters covering the pre-historic to the Kandy period, each depicting a story of significance.

The paintings on display include rare Veddha art copied from the original cave paintings, Sigiriya frescoes and the rock ceiling of the Naipena Guhava, which are reproductions of1896 and 1898.

Paintings as old as the 12th Century Thivanka pilimage in Pollonaruwa bearing testimony to Sri Lanka’s rich painting tradition, is among the many paintings on display at the gallery.

The 20th century Bali paintings collection brings out yet another popular aspect of local tradition and culture, where Bali ceremonies were part and parcel of folklore to dispel malefic effects from the lives of villages. Of interest too, is the collection of Pethikada paintings belonging to the 18th Century most of which are originals from temples in and around Kandy. The most recent reproductions include paintings from Mulkirigala, Valalgoda and Lankathilaka displayed in sequence.

The refurbishment of the exhibition galleries under the guidance of the Colombo National Museum was planned and led by Prof Leelananda Prematilake. His varied contribution in terms of design, layout and supervision has transformed the museum’s architectural appeal, while reorganizing and renewing the presentation of its extensive collection.

The Rs 39 million project initiated in 2004 by HSBC has seen the completion of ten galleries to-date; Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Transitional, Kandy, Stone, Arts and Crafts, Coins and Currency, Arms and Armaments, Standards & Banners and Painting galleries. The collection represents the finest and rarest artifacts of Sri Lanka’s culture and heritage from past centuries.

The Colombo National Museum apart from serving as a mirror of the country’s proud culture, functions as a silent educational institution for the public and varying levels of academics. This treasure house displays a collection of the finest and rarest artifacts of a civilization with a history of more than two millennia.