Rao Bahadur Mahadeo Vishwanath Dhurandhar enrolled at the famed Sir J. J. School of Art in Bombay in 1890, studying under the British artist John Griffiths. Dhurandhar was a talented draughtsman and painter, winning several awards within his first years of study. He continuously sketched his surroundings and mastered the art of academic realism, a style that aimed to depict the world in a naturalistic manner. Upon graduating in 1895, the principal of the school requested that Dhurandhar teach the painting class. He was an impressive arts educator and administrator, and later he was appointed as the Director of the School in 1930, the first Indian artist to hold the post.

Over the course of his life, he depicted a wealth of subjects - from the stories of Indian mythology to quotidian street scenes of Bombay - in a wide variety of mediums, including painting, postcards, posters, oleographs and murals. Dhurandhar’s persistent study of one his most prized subjects, everyday people, contributed to his ability to capture a moment in intricate detail.

The current lot is an exceptional example of the painter’s technical skill and the romantic observations of the everyday for which he is celebrated. Painted in the last years of Dhurandhar’s life, Untitled is an idyllic snapshot of bustling temple life and a masterwork for its level of detail, sense of color and light and sensory components. In the scene, women worshippers of all ages come together in devotion to the female deity in the background. They are dressed in vibrant garments and elaborate jewels which appear to move in the midst of their prayers, showing the vigorous energy of a crowded temple.

Dhurandhar illustrates many elements of worship that are beyond sight, such as sound, taste and touch. A woman in the lower left plays the sitar while other women are shown dancing nearby. A woman in the center bows her head to the temple floor and other seated women organize temple offerings: fruit, dessert and strings of flowers. In the upper right, a woman dressed in green passes a plate of offerings to another worshipper ready to receive it. The woman dressed in blue on the right carefully caresses her baby’s head while an older onlooker seems to usher her into the temple scene. This portrait of women in worship celebrates their relationship to god and unique connection to the divine, portraying the power of shakti.

Dhurandhar plays with bright and dark areas, alternating between the temple pillars of the inner sanctum and the arch surrounding the deity. Shadows surround the architectural elements as well as the worshippers, painted in a darker shade of red in the foreground. Fire provides the primary source of light from the hanging lamps and stands near the god. These candles radiate heat, adding the touch sense to the painting. The smell of smoke combined with the tender fruits, fragrant flowers and the beat of the sitar directly transports the viewer into the scene. Dhurandhar completely encapsulates the temple in its divine and sensory magnificence. Something new can be discovered with each observation of the painting, further highlighting his artistic expertise and the beauty he captured in paint.

Very few works by the artist from his most mature period come to market, and even fewer oil paintings of this action-packed style. This temple scene sums up decades of the artist’s careful observation and passion for illustrating Bombay and its people, particularly the women. Untitled is an opportunity to acquire a masterwork by a master of Indian painting, one of the most foundational creators in the art history of modern India.