Royal Commonwealth Society Library (under collection \'Reminiscences of Bombay\'), Cambridge University Library, Cambridge, UK
This painting by M.F Pithawalla is called 'The woman of Bombay' and it is a watercolour on paper which shows a Brahmin woman inside a room. M. F. Pithawalla was a known painter in Bombay. He liked to paint portraits of people and their daily lives. He mixed style with careful detail of Indian clothes and jewellery. In 1905 M. F. Pithawalla helped create a photo collection of women from Indian communities. That collection reflected the interest in recording Indian society. In this painting the woman stands while she is arranging her hair or jewellery. He captured a personal moment, not a stiff pose. The woman wears a dark blue sari edged with gold. The sari stands out against her blouse. The. Texture of the sari catch the eye. Many bangles, necklaces, earrings, a nose ornament and a red bindi show the woman’s cultural identity. Her elaborate hair and jewellery show how important personal appearance and traditional feminine style were for her. The objects around her— a covered chair, carved furniture, a mirror or dressing case, perfume bottles and other items— put her inside a home. These details hint at wealth. Also act as markers of everyday Indian life. Pithawalla paints with washes clean outlines and subtle shading to look natural. A plain background keeps the focus on the figure. Therefore M. F. Pithawalla’s painting is both a portrait and a colonial record of womanhood. It blends observation, with cultural documentation
Pithawala, a prominent artist of the Bombay school of art, was known for his portrayals of the aristocratic class of colonial Bombay. This artwork provides an intimate look at one such woman; her status is evident from her luxurious saree and the opulent furniture in the background. Pithawala has paid immense attention to lighting, shadows, resulting in the rendering of this realistic depiction. His artworks are particularly important because they provide a raw, nuanced look into the lives of the people, and thus serve as visual records of the aristocratic class of twentienth century Bombay.
