M. V. Dhurandhar was a renowned Indian artist and an esteemed teacher at the Sir J. J. School of Art. A master of both oil and watercolour techniques, he was honoured with the title ‘Rao Bahadur’ by the British Government.
Following the passing of Raja Ravi Varma, Dhurandhar emerged as a leading figure who popularised figurative compositions blending human drama, Indian aesthetics, and Western academic methods.
This newly published book presents a significant survey of Dhurandhar’s artistic journey by featuring his major and newly identified works from different phases of his life. It reveals his evolving artistic personality and sensibilities, and also reflects the literary depth seen in his Marathi writings. His paintings vividly document the fashion, customs, and socio-cultural nuances of the colonial period and the Indian Princely States. A gold medalist of Western India and a beloved artist of the island city of Bombay, Dhurandhar shaped the visual culture of his time through his illustrations, postcards, posters, chromolithographs, and periodical artworks.
