Francis Newton Souza’s untitled painting, (above) Raja Ravi Varma’s Reverie

Kochi, June 23: A museum housing possibly the largest private collection of rare paintings and sculptures in Kerala is crying out for a makeover, but there are no funds to set the ball rolling.

The Museum of Kerala History has on display over 200 originals, including M.F. Husain’s oil-on-canvas Faces, Raja Ravi Varma’s Reverie depicting a woman deep in thought, and Francis Newton Souza’s untitled painting of a woman.

But the works, estimated at over Rs 250 million and reputed to have sent a visitor “into a rhapsody”, have apparently not been displayed with the dignity or handled with the care they deserve, sources said.

Many of the paintings are cluttered together on the walls, some are in need of “curing” and yet others require to be placed in weather-proof casings, they said. Some historical sketches have to be re-oriented while others need to be touched up.

The board of trustees managing Madhavan Nayar’s personal collection since his death in 1996 has said that renovation work on the museum, that sits in the middle of a three-acre complex just 10km from Kochi, should begin soon.

It has suggested to the Nayar family that funds could be raised by putting a part of the museum complex land in Edapalli to commercial use. Real estate prices in downtown Kochi and its outskirts are soaring.

But the family is not willing, sources said.

R.B. Nayar, the managing trustee and brother of Madhavan Nayar, said the board was trying to do whatever was possible with the revenue the museum earned through ticket sales.

“Some of the historical sketches have to be re-oriented. Historian M.G.S Narayanan has offered his comments and we are in the process of touching up here and there, probably amending the presentation where necessary to lend the entire offering the class it deserves,” he said.

“I would say the collection is priceless.”

The museum, known popularly as the Madhavan Nayar Foundation, has two sections: the Gallery of Paintings and Sculptures and the Centre for Visual Arts.

On display at the gallery are works of Indian contemporary art (paintings and sculptures) spanning the last 200 years. The paintings have been categorised into the “Matured” Bengal School, the Progressive Artists Group, Indian Abstract Act, Narrative Painters and the Symbolic-Mystical Style.

The gallery foyer has a 125sqft mural depicting an episode from Kalidasa’s Shakuntalam (circa 4th century AD). It is one of the largest in Kerala and has been done in traditional Kerala style by Mummiyur Krishnankutty Nair and his team.

One of the chief attractions of the museum, set up in 1987, is a light-and-sound show on 87 personalities who shaped the history and culture of Kerala over the last 200 years.

Madhavan Nayar is believed to have got the inspiration to set up the museum during his school days. Unhappy that children had to learn more British and world history than Indian, he decided to do something that would ensure his state made it to the school texts.