Symposium on Maj Gen Claude Martin
LUCKNOW: A symposium ‘The Last Frenchman of Lucknow and the Founder Major General Claude Martin in Art’ was organised at La Martiniere Boys’ College here on Thursday.
Two renowned speakers, Dr Rosie Llewellyn Jones and Charles A Greig, enthralled the audience with their illustrated and riveting lectures.
Dr Rosie Llewellyn-Jones MBE, is a well-known British historian and a researcher. Considered to be an authority on Lucknow and in particular Claude Martin, she has written a lot about Lucknow and is considered to be a biographer of Major General Claude Martin through her works.
Charles Greig, a distinguished British art historian and a scholar, is remembered for his identification, research and attribution of the two spectacular Zoffany paintings - ‘The South Gate of the Lalbagh’ and ‘Nagaphon Ghat’ --done in Dhaka in 1787
There was a discussion on the unseen painting of famous Ger- man painter Johan Zoffany who was known as a master of the theatrical conversation piece. His portraits included Warren Hastings, Asaf-ud-Daula and Claude Martin and his contemporaries.
“Claude Martin was a nature admirer and possessed great interest in new technologies. In fact, he was the second man in the country to design and build a hot air balloon” said Dr Rosie.
The original work of Zoffany titled ‘Gori Bibi & Zulfiqar’ was also on display on the occasion.
The event was attended by history enthusiasts and past and present pupils. “I feel proud to be associated with a part of heritage. The event made us look at the life of Claude Martin in a new perspective,” said Carlyle McFarland, principal of La Martiniere Boys’ College.
“Through the work of artist Johan Zoffany, this event unveiled unknown facts about Claude Martin , his interaction with the nawabs, soldiers, artisans, investors and financial advisors of the city,” said Dr Seema Khanna, history faculty at La Martiniere College.