Madurai to Philadelphia: journey of the temple stones. Art historian Darielle Mason compiles findings in new book
The HinduThe pillared temple hall or mandapam at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is valued for its uniqueness as the only example of historical Indian stone temple architecture publicly displayed outside the subcontinent. In the recent book Storied Stone: Reframing the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s South Indian Temple Hall, I have put together essays by experts in an attempt to explore these questions and render a behind-the-scenes account of the debates on the provenance and interpretation of the mandapam that today stands, stately and mysterious, within the museum’s Asian wing. Art historian Stella Kramrisch became the museum’s curator in 1954 and introduced changes to the lighting in the temple hall. In 2016, the museum added information for visitors with a descriptive panel, a timeline detailing the fragments’ travel to Philadelphia, a video loop showing a day at Madanagopala Swami temple, and a flip-book telling the stories of the pillar figures.
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