The painting is currently at the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum,Mumbai,Maharashtra,India.
Location History:
The painting was created in Mumbai,Maharashtra,India in 1916 and was later brought to Dr. Bahu Daji Lad Museum,Mumbai,Maharashtra,India.
Prabhu Lady is abeautiful painting created by Rao Bahadur Vishwanath Dhurandhar. He spent his childhood in the princely state of Kohlapur and later joined the J J School of Arts in the year 1890. M.V. was a painter and a postcard artist under the British government. His major focus was on the city Bombay and it's people as ,he also painted scenes from Hindu mythology and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam,he drew his inspiration for the artworks from them. Dhurandhar effortlessly blended European academic realism with rich Indian traditional matters. He followed Raja Ravi Verma and used delicate shading,bright colours and chiaruscuro. He was a master of oil paintings,oleography and lithography.
Prabhu Lady by Dhurandhar is an elegant watercolour painting that depicts a woman from the Pathare community in a traditional Nauvari saree. This painting portrays Dhurandhar's precise observation of daily life,the woman's clothing,the way he has carefully painted and shaded the pleats of the saree is incredible. He has also paid attention to the small jewellery pieces,her posture and her expressions. Instead of showing an ideal figure,he has created a respectfully and realistic portrait that reflects elegance,identity and the community's cultural heritage.
Dhurandhar has used the soft watercolour technique,intricate shading and a balanced composition which has made the painting a wonderful artwork to look at.
Dhurandhar is one of the most prominent Indian artists of the 20th century. Most of his works depict the life of people in India from an indigenous perspective.
His depictions were authentic and sympathetic. This painting shows a woman from the Prabhu community in Mumbai dressed and adorned in traditional saree and jewelry. The background is painted with beautiful flowers and plants. Dhurandhar has beautifully depicted the community and its traditions, thereby also making this artwork a historical record of the Prabhu community of Mumbai.
