Pestonji Bomanji one of the most skilled artist of his time. He was trained in academic realism. For him the subject matter was mostly ethnographic and limited to his own community which is the Parsi community. He mostly depicted daily life. He was skilled in oil portraiture. He was the student of John Griffiths at the school of Sir J.J School of Art and Industry at the age of 13 onwards. He was also assistant to John Griffiths and became team leader of 'Ajanta Project' in which the aim was to copy the Ajanta Murals. When Valentine Princep, Queen Victoria's assistant was on the visit to India to paint royal families, he also assisted him.
He was often referred as the 'Indian Rembrandt' for his skilled realism. In this portrait of ' A Merchant from Surat' one can observe his academic realism. Features to notice are merchant's red turban along with red bindi. His shawl of light coral with colourful embroidery, his white shirt and black cover up. As all of the subjects of Pestonji Bomanji paintings are from the Parsi community, this merchant also belongs to the Parsi community. Surat being one of the important port, it justifies the merchant community residing there at that time.
Bomanji’s signature dark, minimalist backdrop isolates the subject, transforming a formal status symbol into an intimate, psychological study of pride and resilience. The merchant's piercing, unyielding gaze demands respect, projecting the quiet confidence of a successful colonial-era trade baron.
