Gateway of India

D. J. Joshi

Deokrishna Jatashankar Joshi was known for his sensitive landscapes and cityscapes that captured the rhythm of everyday life with remarkable immediacy. Born in 1911, Joshi trained in the academic realist tradition but developed a distinctly personal style marked by his signature impressionistic brushwork and an intuitive understanding of space. Working primarily in watercolour and gouache, he painted urban centres, pilgrimage towns and historic sites, translating bustling environments into lyrical visual impressions. In this work, Joshi turns his gaze toward one of Mumbai’s most iconic landmarks, the Gateway of India. The sweeping curve of the promenade, scattered with small figures, conveys the vibrancy of public life. The architecture frames the harbour beyond, where sea and sky dissolve into soft tonal washes. The work balances monumentality with fleeting human presence, making the colonial-era structure into a living urban theatre.