M. V. DHURANDHAR: A RETROSPECTIVE

Still a junior student, Dhurandhar became the first Indian to win an award of Rs. 50 for his painting Household Work in The Bombay Art Society’s (BAS) Exhibition. The subject of this early work would set the stage for his evolving interest in capturing human figures both in mundane and dramatic situations. This drawing, done in powder shading, highlights the artist’s keen observation and skill.

Dhurandhar was born in 1867 in the Princely State of Kolhapur. His family belonged to the Pathare Prabhu Community, well known in the world of art and literature.

Depictions of life in the Pathare Prabhu community would recur throughout his oeuvre. He would go on to document ceremonies of the community with his usual versatility. In 1910, he submitted his painting of a wedding in the Pathare Prabhu community, Bride’s Maids, to the industrial exhibition in Jalgaon. This painting received a gold medal, Dhurandhar’s fourth. Along with the impressive use of light and shade, this painting displays his expertise in capturing the diversity of moods and emotions in a crowd.

Still a junior student, Dhurandhar became the first Indian to win an award of Rs. 50 for his painting Household Work in The Bombay Art Society’s (BAS) Exhibition. The subject of this early work would set the stage for his evolving interest in capturing human figures both in mundane and dramatic situations. This drawing, done in powder shading, highlights the artist’s keen observation and skill.

Dhurandhar was born in 1867 in the Princely State of Kolhapur. His family belonged to the Pathare Prabhu Community, well known in the world of art and literature.

Depictions of life in the Pathare Prabhu community would recur throughout his oeuvre. He would go on to document ceremonies of the community with his usual versatility. In 1910, he submitted his painting of a wedding in the Pathare Prabhu community, Bride’s Maids, to the industrial exhibition in Jalgaon. This painting received a gold medal, Dhurandhar’s fourth. Along with the impressive use of light and shade, this painting displays his expertise in capturing the diversity of moods and emotions in a crowd.

Still a junior student, Dhurandhar became the first Indian to win an award of Rs. 50 for his painting Household Work in The Bombay Art Society’s (BAS) Exhibition. The subject of this early work would set the stage for his evolving interest in capturing human figures both in mundane and dramatic situations. This drawing, done in powder shading, highlights the artist’s keen observation and skill.

Dhurandhar was born in 1867 in the Princely State of Kolhapur. His family belonged to the Pathare Prabhu Community, well known in the world of art and literature.

Depictions of life in the Pathare Prabhu community would recur throughout his oeuvre. He would go on to document ceremonies of the community with his usual versatility. In 1910, he submitted his painting of a wedding in the Pathare Prabhu community, Bride’s Maids, to the industrial exhibition in Jalgaon. This painting received a gold medal, Dhurandhar’s fourth. Along with the impressive use of light and shade, this painting displays his expertise in capturing the diversity of moods and emotions in a crowd.

Dhurandhar consciously shaped his artistic and professional vision on Raja Ravi Varma’s model. The most popular painter of the nineteenth century, Varma was a practitioner of academic realism.

Varma’s paintings of scenes from mythology and legends gained immense popularity.

Dhurandhar met Raja Ravi Varma at the eighth exhibition of BAS where the former was exhibiting a painting titled The Music Lesson. Varma’s appreciation of this painting at a very formative stage of his career played a crucial role in shaping Dhurandhar’s trajectory.

Dhurandhar consciously shaped his artistic and professional vision on Raja Ravi Varma’s model. The most popular painter of the nineteenth century, Varma was a practitioner of academic realism.

Varma’s paintings of scenes from mythology and legends gained immense popularity.

Dhurandhar met Raja Ravi Varma at the eighth exhibition of BAS where the former was exhibiting a painting titled The Music Lesson. Varma’s appreciation of this painting at a very formative stage of his career played a crucial role in shaping Dhurandhar’s trajectory.

Dhurandhar consciously shaped his artistic and professional vision on Raja Ravi Varma’s model. The most popular painter of the nineteenth century, Varma was a practitioner of academic realism.

Varma’s paintings of scenes from mythology and legends gained immense popularity.

Dhurandhar met Raja Ravi Varma at the eighth exhibition of BAS where the former was exhibiting a painting titled The Music Lesson. Varma’s appreciation of this painting at a very formative stage of his career played a crucial role in shaping Dhurandhar’s trajectory.

Dhurandhar’s specimen of an outline done from a line drawing of a Greek or Roman statue was so well done that his class teacher, Ganpatrao Kedari, and Vice Principal Greenwood could not find a single error.

Dhurandhar continued to exhibit widely and at the seventh exhibition of the Bombay Art Society achieved a major breakthrough. Sir Colin Campbell, secretary, rose to announce the list of the prize winners. The first name he called out was that of Mahadeo Vishwanath Dhurandhar for his painting Do You Come Laxmi? Dhurandhar received the gold medal for this painting, becoming the first Indian artist to receive this prestigious medal.

Dhurandhar’s specimen of an outline done from a line drawing of a Greek or Roman statue was so well done that his class teacher, Ganpatrao Kedari, and Vice Principal Greenwood could not find a single error.

Dhurandhar continued to exhibit widely and at the seventh exhibition of the Bombay Art Society achieved a major breakthrough. Sir Colin Campbell, secretary, rose to announce the list of the prize winners. The first name he called out was that of Mahadeo Vishwanath Dhurandhar for his painting Do You Come Laxmi? Dhurandhar received the gold medal for this painting, becoming the first Indian artist to receive this prestigious medal.

Dhurandhar engaged with various depictions of the female body throughout his career. He represented women across the spectrum of possibilities, from traditional nudes to women performing everyday chores.

Dhurandhar has a series of sketches on women captured in everyday domestic and intimate activities.

A scene from the Kailash temple, Ellora, showing an intimate embrace. In 1895, Dhurandhar went to Ajanta (Maharashtra) on a college excursion to paint a panoramic view of the rock-cut caves from a hill situated just opposite to them.

Dhurandhar engaged with various depictions of the female body throughout his career. He represented women across the spectrum of possibilities, from traditional nudes to women performing everyday chores.

Dhurandhar has a series of sketches on women captured in everyday domestic and intimate activities.

A scene from the Kailash temple, Ellora, showing an intimate embrace. In 1895, Dhurandhar went to Ajanta (Maharashtra) on a college excursion to paint a panoramic view of the rock-cut caves from a hill situated just opposite to them.

Dhurandhar engaged with various depictions of the female body throughout his career. He represented women across the spectrum of possibilities, from traditional nudes to women performing everyday chores.

Dhurandhar has a series of sketches on women captured in everyday domestic and intimate activities.

A scene from the Kailash temple, Ellora, showing an intimate embrace. In 1895, Dhurandhar went to Ajanta (Maharashtra) on a college excursion to paint a panoramic view of the rock-cut caves from a hill situated just opposite to them.

In this series of watercolours we see Purushottam Mavji at various stages of his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi. He was an art patron, publisher and author, whom Dhurandhar met early in his professional career.

One of the early projects Mavji commissioned Dhurandar was painting scenes from his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi in 1905. In this painting we see Mavji resting on the snow-covered mountain while covering a part of the journey on foot.

This series takes us on a visual journey of the material realities of the pilgrimage. The traditional modes of transport—dandi (palanquin) and kandi (basket)—were built on abused human labour.

In this series of watercolours we see Purushottam Mavji at various stages of his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi. He was an art patron, publisher and author, whom Dhurandhar met early in his professional career.

One of the early projects Mavji commissioned Dhurandar was painting scenes from his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi in 1905. In this painting we see Mavji resting on the snow-covered mountain while covering a part of the journey on foot.

This series takes us on a visual journey of the material realities of the pilgrimage. The traditional modes of transport—dandi (palanquin) and kandi (basket)—were built on abused human labour.

In this series of watercolours we see Purushottam Mavji at various stages of his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi. He was an art patron, publisher and author, whom Dhurandhar met early in his professional career.

One of the early projects Mavji commissioned Dhurandar was painting scenes from his pilgrimage to Vaishnodevi in 1905. In this painting we see Mavji resting on the snow-covered mountain while covering a part of the journey on foot.

This series takes us on a visual journey of the material realities of the pilgrimage. The traditional modes of transport—dandi (palanquin) and kandi (basket)—were built on abused human labour.

In 1901, Dhurandhar met Sheth Purushottam Vishram Mavji, an art patron, author and publisher. Mavji owned Laxmi Art Printing Press, a reputed press, and also published a periodical, Suvarnamala. He invited Dhurandhar to do some work for his periodical. Dhurandhar grabbed this opportunity to make a variety of mythological illustrations for Suvarnamala.

A part of his venture as a commercial artist was tapping into the rich market for illustrations of mythological figures and popular history.

Dhurandhar illustrated multiple scenes from the life of the great Maratha hero Shivaji. Legends of his encounter with the Mughals remained extremely popular for mass consumption.

In 1901, Dhurandhar met Sheth Purushottam Vishram Mavji, an art patron, author and publisher. Mavji owned Laxmi Art Printing Press, a reputed press, and also published a periodical, Suvarnamala. He invited Dhurandhar to do some work for his periodical. Dhurandhar grabbed this opportunity to make a variety of mythological illustrations for Suvarnamala.

A part of his venture as a commercial artist was tapping into the rich market for illustrations of mythological figures and popular history.

Dhurandhar illustrated multiple scenes from the life of the great Maratha hero Shivaji. Legends of his encounter with the Mughals remained extremely popular for mass consumption.

In 1901, Dhurandhar met Sheth Purushottam Vishram Mavji, an art patron, author and publisher. Mavji owned Laxmi Art Printing Press, a reputed press, and also published a periodical, Suvarnamala. He invited Dhurandhar to do some work for his periodical. Dhurandhar grabbed this opportunity to make a variety of mythological illustrations for Suvarnamala.

A part of his venture as a commercial artist was tapping into the rich market for illustrations of mythological figures and popular history.

Dhurandhar illustrated multiple scenes from the life of the great Maratha hero Shivaji. Legends of his encounter with the Mughals remained extremely popular for mass consumption.