'Feeding the Parrot', by Pestonji Bomanji, is an 1882 oil on canvas from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya. Here, Bomanji displays his expertise in European academic styles through light, texture and the realism of his subjects, possibly his wife Jiloobai, tenderly feeds a parrot as a child looks on, particularly his sensitive rendering of their expression. These elements combined, his work often gave psychological depth and rich, subdued tones, that led to him being known as the "Indian Rembrandt."
The work was likely completed when Bomanji was at Ajanta, working with the copyists for the Ajanta cave murals under the Sir J. J. School of Art project, for although unseen, hints of the style of the murals exist in the background as faint imaging. This imagery directly connects an ancient Indian tradition to a study of European academic realism in the colonial period.
The painting's depiction of the Parsi way of life in colonial Bombay embodies the complex and hybridized identity of the community: 'modern' and with the influence of Westernism, but still fundamentally Indian in domestic traditions, home-life and clothing; the Western academic Realism contrasts with an undeniable Indian atmosphere. As far as the image itself is concerned, perhaps the bird represented the idea of companionship, the refining effect of owning a trained bird or perhaps a fragile domestic intimacy, for, rather than depict any epic scene or mythological occurrence, Bomanji is concerned with the small, intimate detail of family life, elevating it to an atmosphere of warmth, grace and humility. The work stands out as one that synthesizes Indian subjects with Western training. It remains a key painting in Indian art history and of Bombay School work, and the colonial Indian art of the late 19th Century.
In the painting, a woman in profile looks out towards a large birdcage on the left. She wears traditional clothing, a cream blouse and a dark, draped garment with an ornate patterned border. Her head is covered by a similar covering that pulls hair into a bun. She wears a long, fancy earring and a metal bracelet. She moves the cage and the light hits her face and brings out her concentration. In the lower left corner a child is looking into the frame, with big expressive eyes, adding a subtle layer of narrative depth. Muted, textured background supports the reflective, classical mood of the picture.
