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Archibald Herman Müller (11 March 1878 – 24 September 1960) was an artist of realistic paintings and one of India's early 20th-century great talents.
Müller, the son of a German father and Indian mothe
was born in
Müller died in 1960 at the Gandhi Hospital in
moved from India in the 1950s and 1960s. Two daughters, Gwendoline Ellen and Winifred Rose, moved to the UK, and his son, Archibald Hermann Müller (known as Hermann), to Australia in 1967. Several individuals from succeeding generations of his family have proved to be talented artists and writers, some exhibiting nationally and internationally. One of his daughters, Gwendoline (1929-2012), who lived in Prestatyn, North Wales, auctioned many of her paintings for charity. Winifred (Winnie) (1930-2016), also lived in North Wales and continued to paint into her eighties. Son Hermann (1936-2017), inspired by his father's paintings at an early age, expressed his creative talents as an author, and, having studied the bodymind connection, founded the Psychosomatic Therapy College and developed the Psychosomatic Therapy Process which is taught in many countrie
Hermann lived on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Highly accomplished contemporary artist Charlotte McGowan-Griffin (1975
born in London and based in Berli
is a great-granddaughter of A H Müller.
Book: Artist A. H. Muller and His ArtArt and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850 - 1922
by Partha Mitter, Page 96
A H Muller
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muller, Archibald Herman Realist painters 1878 births 1960 deaths Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai alumni Artists from Kochi Indian portrait painters 20th-century Indian painters Painters from Kerala Indian male painters 20th-century Indian male artists
was born in
Cochin
Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...
in the Southern Indian state of Kerala
Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
, and lived and worked in India. He joined the Madras School of Art
The Government College of Fine Arts (initially known as the Madras School of Art) in Chennai is the oldest art institution in India. The institution was established in 1850 by surgeon Alexander Hunter as a private art school. In 1852, after bei ...
and received early recognition. He won the gold medal at Madras School of Art. After completing his education, he worked with his brother in his photography studio for some time.
Müller went to Bombay
Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...
(now Mumbai) in 1911, then considered the modern artistic centre of India. He won the Gold Medal from the Bombay Art Society
The Bombay Art Society is a Nonprofit organization, non-profit art organization based in Mumbai. The institution was founded in 1888 for encouraging and promoting art. Most of the renowned artists on India's art scene have been associated with the ...
in the same year. He travelled a lot through Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
, Gujarat
Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
and the Himalayas, enjoying the patronage of various Indian royal families. His paintings included landscapes, portraits and scenes from the life of the Maharajas (Kings), historical subjects and incidents from the Hindu epics, the Ramayana
The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
and the Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
. His paintings have been acquired by the Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
, London, the South Kensington Museum
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both west and east.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
(now known as the Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...
). Few also exist in the collections of the museums at Sangli, Maharashtra Bikaner, Rajasthan, the Jodhpur Fort and the Royal Palace at Jaipur. His paintings are much sought after and have surfaced in various auctions in recent years.
Müller died in 1960 at the Gandhi Hospital in Jodhpur
Jodhpur () is the second-largest city of the north-western Indian state of Rajasthan, after its capital Jaipur. As of 2023, the city has a population of 1.83 million. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Jodhpur district and ...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; Literal translation, lit. 'Land of Kings') is a States and union territories of India, state in northwestern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the List of states and union territories of ...
, India.
His childremoved from India in the 1950s and 1960s. Two daughters, Gwendoline Ellen and Winifred Rose, moved to the UK, and his son, Archibald Hermann Müller (known as Hermann), to Australia in 1967. Several individuals from succeeding generations of his family have proved to be talented artists and writers, some exhibiting nationally and internationally. One of his daughters, Gwendoline (1929-2012), who lived in Prestatyn, North Wales, auctioned many of her paintings for charity. Winifred (Winnie) (1930-2016), also lived in North Wales and continued to paint into her eighties. Son Hermann (1936-2017), inspired by his father's paintings at an early age, expressed his creative talents as an author, and, having studied the bodymind connection, founded the Psychosomatic Therapy College and developed the Psychosomatic Therapy Process which is taught in many countrie
Hermann lived on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Highly accomplished contemporary artist Charlotte McGowan-Griffin (1975
born in London and based in Berli
is a great-granddaughter of A H Müller.
References
Book: Artist A. H. Muller and His Art
by Partha Mitter, Page 96
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Muller, Archibald Herman Realist painters 1878 births 1960 deaths Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai alumni Artists from Kochi Indian portrait painters 20th-century Indian painters Painters from Kerala Indian male painters 20th-century Indian male artists