Biographers of the city, such as Gillian Tindall, have emphasised the dual nature of Bombay, referring to it as ‘two places’ where dreams of wealth have lured countless individuals over three centuries. She notes that while many sought fortunes, their quests often ended tragically, with bodies interred in Sonapur, a term that translates to ‘the city of gold’ (which is the title she gives to her account of the city’s growth). This duality encapsulates the city's allure and its darker undercurrents, illustrating how hope and despair coexisted in what quickly became ‘one of the great cities of the world’. Artists were especially well-placed to document the complex nature of such growth, negotiating the demands of modernity, while responding to the calls for self-reliance and cultural revival. As DAG’s exhibition, Once Upon a Time in Bombay prepares to open a window upon this layered history, we take a look at some of the major artists who were shaping the aesthetic narratives of this time.

The Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art, commonly known as the J.J. School of Art, was established in March 1857 in Bombay, thanks to a generous donation from the Parsi philanthropist Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy. The school aimed to enhance Indian industrial arts and aesthetics, inspired by the positive reception of Indian wares at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. Initially located at the Elphinstone College, it offered elementary drawing and design classes. Eventually, the management was taken over by the Government of India, leading to significant curriculum developments under influential figures like Lockwood Kipling and John Griffiths. They introduced a focus on decorative and industrial arts, aligning the school's approach with European art education models. In 1878, the school moved to its current neo-Gothic building on the Esplanade, which has since been recognized as a heritage structure. Over time, it evolved into a prestigious institution, contributing significantly to India's art scene and urban development.

The consolidation of the seven islands into a single landmass allowed for urban development and reclamation projects, leading to the emergence of a vibrant capitalist class known as the ‘Merchant Princes’ (which included Sir Jeejebhoy), who leveraged traditional trade networks. However, this rapid growth also led to social challenges, including overcrowding and slum development around industrial areas. The removal of fort walls in 1864 symbolised this shift towards modernisation and urban expansion. This period laid the groundwork for Bombay's pivotal role in India's independence movement in the early twentieth century.

As Bombay and its most influential art institution grew together over the course of the nineteenth century, the city found a great diversity of artists and styles to reflect upon its equally rich variety of changes. The city would produce some of the greatest nationalist leaders, fighting for independence through socio-political reform, while others took these lessons to promote crafts revivalism and commercial or applied art that could inculcate a new taste in Indian art. As the years of the new century drew closer, Bombay’s symbolic gateways and aesthetic horizons were being pushed ever-forward by its great artists.