An Ideal Destination for Art Lovers: Venkatappa Art Gallery Flaunts Over 600 Paintings

Last Updated on March 2, 2023 by Tariq

The Venkatappa Art Gallery is a must-see destination if you are passionate about art.

This gallery is a true gem, offering a diverse and stunning collection of artwork that will leave you in awe.

The Venkatappa Art Gallery displays the outstanding creations of renowned artist K. Venkatappa.

A few of the beautiful paintings by the artist that can be seen in the collection are stunning views of the lake in Ooty, the Nilgiri Mountains in Kodaikanal, the sunrise in Ooty, and others.

Here, you can see the creations of several artists, like MF Hussain, Vasudev, Hanumaiah, Hariram, and Rekha Rao.

On the first floor are on show the magnificent woodcarvings of CP Rajaram.

In addition to this, there is a section called the Hebbar Section where K.K. Hebbar’s works are displayed.

Calling all artists and art enthusiasts!

Prepare to be inspired and amazed by the stunning collection of artwork at the Venkatappa Art Gallery.

This hidden gem boasts over 600 permanent collections, featuring works from renowned artists like MF Husain, stone sculptures from the Mathura and Khajuraho schools of art, and pottery from the Indus valley civilization.

K Venkatappa’s most famous paintings have been showcased at the Venkatappa Art Gallery.

In addition, it houses works by both established and emerging artists, in addition to K Venkatappa.

History of Venkatappa Art Gallery

(Source: Wikipedia)

K Venkatappa (born 1886), the person after whose name the gallery was named, was a well-known painter and sculptor in Karnataka.

His ancestors, who had worked for the Vijayanagara kings, departed Chitradurga at the beginning of the 19th century and went to Srirangapatna to serve the Mysuru royal family.

Between 1902 to 1908, Venkatappa studied fine arts at the Chamarajendra Technical Institute in Mysuru.

He later pursued his interest under the guidance of Abanindranath Tagore, a pioneer of contemporary Indian painting.

His peculiarities, litigation, and austerity were signs of his artistic genius.

Following Venkatappa’s death in 1967, then-Chief Minister S Nijalingappa laid down the foundation for the gallery to preserve and honor his work.

In 1975, the gallery was initially inaugurated.

Overview of the Venkatappa Art Gallery

(Source: Foursquare)

The Venkatappa Art Gallery, located on Kasturba Road in Cubbon Park and housed within the grounds of the Karnataka Government Museum, features more than 600 paintings.

The gallery, which bears K. Venkatappa’s name, features his paintings and the magnificent works of other well-known artists.

The museum, which occupies a sizable space, is further divided into various galleries.

Some of which exhibit artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization, paintings from the Hoysala, Gandhara, and Nolamba periods.

Additionally, you also find exquisite wood carvings, phenomenally carved sculptures, specimens of geology and art, ancient musical instruments, and more.

Some priceless art pieces on exhibition date back to 2000 BC.

With its numerous exhibits and displays, Venkatappa Art Gallery offers a glimpse into the beautiful past.

Incredible works by Venkatappa himself, such as the well-known painting of the Ooty sunrise, the glittering Nilgiri hills, and a picturesque Church Hill view, among others are displayed on the first floor of the museum.

M. F. Hussain, Vasudev, Hariram, Rekha Rao, Yusuf Arakkal, and N.S. Bendre is among the other artists who are featured alongside him.

The paintings by K. K. Hebbar are only on the second floor.

The gallery’s extensive collection draws visitors from all around India daily, in addition to art and history enthusiasts.

Entry Fee and Timings

Days	Timings
Monday	Closed
Tuesday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Wednesday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Thursday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Friday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Saturday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM
Sunday	10:00 AM – 05:00 PM

The entry fee for adults is INR 10, and for children, it is INR 5.

The Venkatappa Art Gallery is open on most days but may remain closed on public holidays.

Floor Plan of Venkatappa Art Gallery

There are three floors in the gallery that are solely for painters.

Paintings and sculptures by Venkatappa on the plaster of Paris are displayed on the ground floor.

The third story is devoted to the works of Sri K.K. Hebbar, another well-known artist, while the second floor is available for exhibitions where artists from around the nation can display their creations.

You will be stunned when you see the materials he used to make his creations, including his spectacles and even a walking stick.

(Source: travel.earth)

You can gawk at his creations, including paintings on Ooty, artwork depicting Eklavya practicing his archery, and much more.

The several veenas that Venkatappa played are also on display.

Even his sketches get their own section.

The artwork of several artists, including KN Ramachandran, K Mohandas, and GM Hedge, is displayed on the gallery’s first floor.

Although there is no overarching subject, some interesting paintings are here, from abstracts to portraits.

A little room that is adjacent to this exhibition is home to the wood carvings of CP Rajaram.

The works of KK Hebbar take up the entire second floor of the display.

The collection begins with a self-portrait and documents Hebbar’s life, and it is almost like a narrative; the paintings date back to the 1940s.

You can see many of his books, awards, and outstanding work on ordinary life here.

After going through the gallery, you can find KK Hebbar’s spectrum of talent, from his oil paintings on the natural elements of the earth to his sketches of ordinary life in villages in India and overseas.

Types of Artwork at Venkatappa Art Gallery

The galleries include sculpture, natural history, geology, art, music, and numismatics.

The Archaeological Museum houses a remarkable collection of archaeological and geological relics such as antique jewellery, sculptures, coins, and inscriptions.

The museum’s collection includes 70 paintings, 84 sculptures, and hundreds of other artifacts, some exclusive to the museum.

Sculptures from the Hoysala, Gandhara, and Nolamba periods can also be found at the museum.

You can also see Neolithic pottery from Chandravalli excavations, items from Mohenjodaro, Halebid, and Vijayanagar excavations, terracotta from Mathura, and weaponry from Kodagu.

Many of the items housed at the museum are over 5000 years old.

Rare paintings from the Deccan, Mysore, and Tanjore kingdoms can also be found at the museum.

(Source: Deccan Chronicle)

The museum also features a model of Tipu Sultan’s fort, Srirangapatna.

Additionally, the museum houses a collection of antique musical instruments.

Tanjore-style framework with 64 Narayanas is a one-of-a-kind item there.

The museum’s priceless treasures include the earliest Kannada inscriptions- the Halmidi inscription, Begur inscription, and Aatakur inscriptional slabs.

In addition, the Visvesvaraya Industrial And Technological Museum and the Venkatappa Art Gallery flank the museum.

The museum is easily accessible from Kasturba Road.

In 1877, the museum was built using the neoclassical style.

It features two entrances on each side, Corinthian columns, a circle-shaped arch, sloping eaves, and visible parapet walls that slope downward.

The two structures, one containing the Venkatappa Art Gallery and the other housing the Archaeological Museum, provide visitors a view of past and present artists and artifacts from the Indian Subcontinent dating from 2000 BC to the Medieval Ages.

Venkatappa Art Gallery also hosts a number of photography and art exhibitions.

All of K. Venkatappa’s paintings and artwork, whether depicting Lord Shiva, the monsoon, or a scenic environment, pay attention to minor details.

Every brush stroke reveals the renowned artist’s originality and talent!

There are 57 paintings of K. Venkatappa, 67 of K. K. Hebbar, 19 wooden works of C. P. Rajarama, and 184 contemporary artworks in the art gallery.

Exhibitions at the Venkatappa Art Gallery

The large gallery is well-known not just in Bangalore or India but also among visitors from other countries.

Students from all around the world come to study the detailed picturesque landscapes painted with great ability.

The gorgeous Ooty lake and its dawn are among the most popular ones.

Paintings by well-known artists such as Rekha Rao and Vasudev, among others, attract a huge number of art students from all over the country and the world, making it one of Bangalore’s most famous tourist spots.

According to the artist community, the Gallery is an inclusive and democratic space that young artists and those from the provinces can hire at a low cost.

It is also excellent for non-commercial and experimental art projects, festivals, workshops, seminars, talks, and meetings.

(Source: Sanjna Srikanth)

Maximum artists in the Venkatappa Art Gallery forum have held their initial solo exhibitions there.

There have been group exhibitions, collaborative initiatives, eight state Kala Melas, RM Hadpad’s retrospective, The Khoj International Artists Residency, and more over the years.

A few events include the International Live Art Festival, artist talks by CoLab and Ananya Drishya, and, more recently, the IFA Public Art shows.

These activities were open for everyone to attend and well-attended.

Upon the completion of their education, students from local art schools and those from other cities in the state have been known to present/display here.

Displaying one’s artwork at a gallery is almost like a rite of passage, as evidenced by the work of several well-known painters.

Popular Paintings & Sculptures at Venkatappa Art Gallery

The museum’s first floor exhibits wonderful works by Venkatappa himself, such as the renowned painting of the Ooty sunrise, the dazzling Nilgiri highlands, a scenic Church Hill view, and so on.

M. F. Hussain, Vasudev, Hariram, Rekha Rao, Yusuf Arakkal, and N.S. Bendre is among the other artists who appear alongside him.

Venkatappa began making landscapes of Ooty in 1926, followed by a second set of landscapes of Kodaikanal in 1934.

His Ooty watercolors are regarded as the epitome of paintings.

Path to Elk Hill, Ooty

(Source: Past..Present…)

Most watercolor landscapes, particularly those of Ooty and Kodaikanal, were created in the 1920s and 1930s and depicted the mood and seasons of nature in great detail.

Among these are ‘Ooty Lake,’ ‘Path to Elk Hill,’ ‘After the Monsoon,’ ‘Full Moon,’ and ‘Cocker’s Walk,’ Kodaikanal. Among the early paintings based on Indian epics are ‘Damayanti,’ ‘Setubandha,’ ‘Sita kalyan,’ and ‘Lanka dahana,’ among others.

Upcoming Events and Exhibitions

There are no forthcoming events and exhibitions in the Venkatappa Art Gallery.

Although they keep organizing exhibitions from time to time.

Photos of Venkatappa Art Gallery

(Source: My Holiday Happiness)

(Source: ThinkBangalore)

(Source: Star of Mysore)

(Source: Treebo Hotels)

(Source: Zaubee)

Tips for Visiting Venkatappa Art Gallery

Things to keep in mind while visiting the Venkatappa Art Gallery:

• Wear casual clothes to the art gallery
• Do not touch anything
• Carry an ID card
• Carry a water bottle.

Things that are not allowed include:

• Camera
• Alcohol
• Weapons
• Pets
• Smoking
• Plastic Bag

Location

FAQs

Conclusion

The Venkatappa Art Gallery is located in the Karnataka Government Museum on Kasturba Road opposite the Vishweshwariah Industrial and Technological Museum.

The museum displays terracotta from Mathura and artifacts from Mohenjadaro.

The Venkatappa Art Gallery is a haven for art enthusiasts nationwide because it shows some of the most famous artwork.

More than 600 paintings are displayed year-round at the two levels of the Venkatappa Art Gallery.

The museum is a must-see location for those who enjoy art, as some of the rare collections of scenic displays are found there.

(Feature image source: Holidify)