The museum houses a rich and diverse collection of artworks from India and around the world. Salar Jung III was a great admirer of animals and had a deep appreciation for nature and wildlife. (The term “environmentalist” is anachronistic for the early 20th century and should be avoided unless historically documented.) His collection includes rare objects crafted in pottery, metal, wood, and ivory, as well as artworks depicting flora and fauna.
Unlike his predecessors, the Nawab was not an avid hunter. However, he collected numerous objects related to wildlife. During the early 20th century, he acquired clay models of rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and elephants from Europe, India, and China. The gallery also displays European bronze sculptures of lions, tigers, a lanky hound, and deer, along with a nineteenth-century Japanese ivory carving depicting a crocodile being attacked by a lion, as well as other wildlife-related artefacts.
The Nawab’s interest in animals also extended to domestic species. He was particularly fond of cats and dogs. The gallery includes sculptures of Persian and Siamese cats, as well as Japanese bulldogs and pugs. These objects date to twentieth-century Europe. He was especially fond of horses and polo ponies. The gallery also features French bronze sculptures of horses accompanied by classical figures reclining on the ground while holding the reins.
In addition, the gallery contains 19th century metal sculptures of birds and sculptures of reptiles dating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
