M. V. Dhurandhar
Rao Bahadur Mahadev Vishwanath Dhurandhar FRSA (18 March 1867 – 1 June 1944)
After graduating from J. J. School of Art, Dhurandhar was offered a position at the same school in 1896 where he spent the rest of his career. In 1910, he was appointed as the Head Master. He was appointed Inspector of Drawing and Craft in 1918 and served in that position until 1931. He was the Vice-Principal for two years before retiring. In the year 1938, Dhurandhar was elected as the Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
His popular works include documenting the city of Bombay and its people, as well as painting scenes from Hindu mythology and Omar Khayyam series.
A prolific artist, Dhurandhar is said to have made some thousands of paintings and illustrations, including some that were turned into lithographic prints, such as his illustrations for the book Women of India by Otto Rothfield.
After he retired from Sir J.J School of Art in 1913, he continued painting and wrote his memoirs about his years at the art School. The book was published in 1940, titled, Kalamandiratil Ekkechalis Varshe (Forty-one years in the Temple of Art). It has become an authentic documentation on the history of Art of that period.
