Portrait of Shantabai

Portrait of Shantabai is an oil painting by Baburao Painter made around 1930. The painting shows Shantabai Rajopadhye, wife of filmmaker and artist Annasaheb Rajopadhye in an intimate way. Unlike Baburao Painter’s works that involve mythology, theatre, cinema and public themes this painting focuses on one person and makes a more personal mood. Portrait of Shantabai gives importance to Shantabai Rajopadhye herself of putting Shantabai Rajopadhye inside a dramatic story or elaborate setting. Portrait of Shantabai is particularly interesting because of its connection with the cultural environment of Kolhapur during the early twentieth century. Baburao Painter was a figure in Kolhapur’s growing artistic and cinematic culture. Baburao Painter worked in forms, such as painting, sculpture, stage design and filmmaking. Baburao Painter was also closely linked to Annasaheb Rajopadhye and the Rajopadhye family making Portrait of Shantabai part of a network of artists, filmmakers and art lovers in Kolhapur. Prinseps notes that Baburao Painter was photographed next to Annasaheb Rajopadhye and often interacted with the Rajopadhye family. Portrait of Shantabai also has a connection with Bhanu Athaiya, daughter of Shantabai Rajopadhye and Annasaheb Rajopadhye. According to Prinseps Bhanu Athaiya remembered Shantabai Rajopadhye as an influence who encouraged Bhanu Athaiya’s early interest in the arts. This gives Portrait of Shantabai significance beyond its qualities as it keeps the presence of Shantabai Rajopadhye from a family deeply connected with Kolhapur’s artistic world. Portrait of Shantabai is an oil painting on canvas showing Baburao Painter’s interest in portrait painting while also fitting into the changing artistic culture of early twentieth‑century India. Portrait of Shantabai can therefore be seen as both a portrait of a woman and as a record of the close relationships among artists, filmmakers and families in Kolhapur, during this period.