Saturday,
June 30, 2007
Bangkok Given an Italian Flair by Thailand
The
ANNOTICO Report
As the 19th
century gave way to the 20th,
The Italians answered
by bestowing on the capital a trove of beautiful buildings, among them Government House, the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, Hua
Lamphong Railway Station, Wat Rajathiwat
and Siam Commercial Bank
Professor
Paolo Piazzardi,also the director
of the local Dante Alighieri Association gives guided tours of the
"Italian Architectural Jewels" in
The
Nation
By
Vipasai Niyamabha
Nation
Multimedia -
Sunday,
July 1, 2007
Several dozen
people had to be turned away from Professor Paolo Piazzardi
"They are very
disappointed to miss out," said the director of the Dante Alighieri
Association, "but they
The visits to
four buildings designed and decorated by Italians took only a few hours, but
months could be spent truly appreciating the legacy.
Fortunately the
professor had plenty of information to share in the short time allowed, being
the author of the 1996 book "Italians at the Court of Siam".
Piazzardi is able to picture
In 1897, Piazzardi noted, King Rama V commissioned a squad of
Italian engineers, architects and artists to give
They answered by
bestowing on the capital a trove of beautiful buildings, among them Government
House, the Ananta Samakhom
Throne Hall and Hua Lamphong
railway station.
But there was a
surprise on the professor
Allowed in for
this special occasion, the tour group found itself gaping at lovely
woodcarvings, gorgeous paintings and startling ceiling frescoes.
Once known as
Baan Nonthee and later Baan Pipultham,
the house and property were a gift from Rama V to Phraya Anurakrajmontthien,
who became Chaophraya Thammathikoranathibbodi.
When he was promoted again, to become the Minister of the Chamberlain, King
Rama VI gave him the money to renovate the structure and erect an adjoining
building.
The new,
three-storey building is connected by a corridor bridge from the second floor.
Professor Eman Fredie was the architect,
and other Italians handled the engineering work and additional construction.
The woodcarving was done by Dong Chong from
In a large front
hall are several antique paintings remarkable for their fine condition and the
way they add to the place
On the ceiling of
the outer hall, Rigoli painted scenes from Thai
mythology. Mekhala and Ramasoon
are beautifully rendered, the former a nymph who can fly and has a crystal ball
for protection.
Ramasoon is a male demon whose
request for the crystal is refused, so he chases Mekhala
and throws his diamond axe at her, causing a cracking sound and a shower of
sparks from the gem - the origin of thunder and lightning.
Piazzardi compared the tale to the
Western fable of beauty and the beast.
"You can see
the Italian influence in the figures
Rigoli also honoured
the King
Across several
ceilings are depictions of the mythical bird Hasdayu
saving Sita from Ravana.
All of these
characters from Siamese fable are joined in yet another hall by a pair of
fluttering cupids.
"Everything
seems to blend in like magic," Piazzardi
commented. "The background colours reflect
something very Italian, especially all the blue. It
King Rama VI came
to visit and marvel at the decorations, staying not just for dinner but
lingering over live performances until six in the morning.
During World War
II the compound was struck by several bombs intended for Hua
Lamphong station. The damage was beyond repair, so
the owner offered the property to the government. Restoration was indeed an
enormous undertaking, but the original beauty was recovered.
Prof Piazzardi
http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/01/travel/travel_30038749.php
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