The Last Maharaja of Indore
YESHWANT RAO HOKAR II
Personalities & Architecture
The Maharaja seen here in a portrait by the talented painted Bernard Boutet de Monvel
Yashwant Rao Holkar II, otherwise known as the last Maharaja of Indore, was quite a personality. Passionate about the Bauhaus and art-deco mouvement, he constructed the first Bauhaus palace in Indore. It was designed and built by the German architect Eckart Muthesius in 1930.
The library in the palace featuring chairs designed by Eckart Muthesius
A bold decision at the time, the palace of Manik Bagh (which translates to gem garden) was to become a reference in the world of design. Collaborating with people such as Jean Puiforcat, Eileen Gray, Jean Perzel, and Le Corbusier, the result was, unsurprisingly, stunning. The interior was sold at an auction in 1980 at Sotheby’s in Monaco.
A table designed by Muthesius for the Maharani's dressing room
The master bedroom, featuring a bed designed by Louis Sognot, and a carpet by Ivan da Silva Bruhns
Olivier Gabet, Director of Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
Nobody knows about the maharaja of Indore: Who is this incredible guy? Some mysteries have no clues.
A fabulous portrait of the Maharaja by Bernard Boutet de Monvel
Young and chic, Yeshwant Rao and his wife both studied in England and travelled often together in Europe. They were photographed by Man Ray in a series of photos in 1927. His wife, Maharani Sanyogita, would sadly pass away at the age of 22 from surgery complications in Switzerland.
Photography of the Maharaja and his wife, by Man Ray
Credits
Written by: James Thomas
Sky Blue
Est. 2019