Osian's Auction Catalogue The Masterpieces and Museum Quality Series | October 2004

THE MASTERPIECES & MUSEUM-QUALITY SERIES 25 1 Mahadev Vishvanath DHURANDHAR [1867-1944/ b . Kolhapur, Maharashtra] Bharat Milap S/d in English l.c. Oil on canvas, 1925 95.5 x 64.5 cm (37.6 x 25.4 in) 2 Mahadev Vishvanath DHURANDHAR [1867-1944/ b . Kolhapur, Maharashtra] Chowpatty Beach Signed in English l.r. Oil on canvas, 1934 59.5 x 89.5 cm (23.4 x 35.2 in) Rs. 1,250,000 – 1,500,000 $ 27,000 – 32,400 £ 14,800 – 17,750 ‘An ex-student and teacher of Sir J.J. School of Art, Bombay, M.V. Dhurandhar had become the prototype of Ravi Varma in Bombay, lending his training in the academic style to a wide range of Indian mythological and literary themes… Grand palaces, lush forests and intricate details of costumes and ornaments were typical features of the mythological paintings of Dhurandhar. But as great a value was placed on atmospheric splendour as on the ‘emotive’ quality of a painting – on the sense of episodic drama, on the intensity of facial expression, and particularly on what were typified as ‘feminine’ moods, gestures and sentiments.’ – Tapati Guha- Thakurta, rpt. in The Making Of A New ‘Indian’ Art: Artists, Aesthetics and Nationalism in Bengal, c.1850-1920. CUP 1992; pp140-1. Bharat Milap visualises the famous scene from the Ramayana when Bharat & the three wives of Dashrath come to the forest beseeching Ram & Sita to return to Ayodhya. Ram refuses to return and so Bharat will take his Paduka (Slippers of Ram) and place them on Ayodhya’s throne until the end of Ram’s exile. Rs. 1,250,000 – 1,500,000 $ 27,000 – 32,400 £ 14,800 – 17,750 Provenance Lots 1 & 2 are from the family collection of H.H. The Maharawal Shri Virendrasinghji Chauhan Raja of Chhota Udepur State. Rao Bahadur M.V. Dhurandhar created many paintings for the Kusum Vilas Palace of the Chhota Udepur State which was completed in 1934. Lot 1 & 2 represent the most significant works of Rao Bahadur M.V. Dhurandhar to come up for public auction until date.