Shri Jagdish Lal Raj Soni comes from a traditional family of
the practitioners of the art of Thewa in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan.
Pratapgarh is a small principality where the master of this
unusual art work of Thewa has been working. According to Jagdish
Raj Soni, the technique of Thewa Art was developed by their
fore father Nathani Sonewala, in 1760s during the reign or Mahawat
Samant Singh.
Thewa in Rajasthani means setting. It is a technique of fusion
of 23 carat gold on glass surface of various colors. The base
of the ornaments is usually silver with gold polish. The most
popular jewelry of Thewa are pendants, earrings, ornament box
and decorative articles.
Jagdish RajSoni was born in 1949 in Pratapgarh. He began his
training under the guidance of Shri Ram Prashad Soni. He completed
his degree in Bachelor of Arts from University of Rajasthan.
Jagdish
Raj Soni wanted to master not only the art of creation of Thewa,
but also learn about other cultural traditions, so that he could
broaden his perception of arts and crafts. He thus undertook
a course in Design from London University in 1968.
In 1970 he got a Merit Certificate for his
work and he also came to the National Handicrafts and Handloom
Museum, Pragati Maidan to display and demonstrate his creative
skills. In 1977 he received the National Award. At the same
time he also received the Rajasthan Samman Award. He was also
honoured by the Maharana Sajan Singh Puraskar in Udaipur in
1987. He received Kala Mani Puraskar and Umed Bhawan Jubilee
Award in Jodhpur, as well as the award from INTACH, Delhi.
Jagdish Lal has demonstrated his art in Asia Handicrafts Fair
in Japan, Ritteberg Museum in Zurich and Ethnographic Museum
in Geneva.
Acccording to him, the Thewa Art is a simple technique of gold
fussion on glass. It began with the engraving of the design
on a thin gold sheet, which was fixed on lac. Perforated designs
and engraving were made on the gold. This was then fixed to
a silver frame of exactly the same size as the glass. The glass
was heated and the frame was slipped on to it and pressed together.
Thus, fusing of the glass and the gold plate take place.In fact
it is the reverse of the enamel technique. Whereas enamel technique
is the decoration of gold enamel, prepared of a glass alloy,
here the glass is the base on which the gold is fused. The effect
of light filtering through the glass and silhouetting the cut
work gold scene of Rasleela, the Moghul patterns of the Shikargah,
floralmotifs and the light shimmering on the gold must have
created a magical world when these beautiful object were held
up against the light.
Jagdish
Raj Soni wanted to master not only the art of creation of Thewa,
but also learn about other cultural traditions, so that he could
broaden his perception of arts and crafts. He thus undertook
a course in Design from London University in 1968.
Jagdish Lal has demonstrated his art in Asia Handicrafts Fair
in Japan, Ritteberg Museum in Zurich and Ethnographic Museum
in Geneva.