Abalal Rahiman

Abalal Rahiman (1860 - 28 December 1931) was a celebrated painter of Kolhapur (Maharashtra). He was the first art-school trained artist of the region. ^[1] After 1888, he served as the court painter of the Kolhapur State, ^[2] and remained under the patronage of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj till the latter's death. During the time he was active as a painter (starting 1890), Rahiman created over 20,000 paintings, ^[3] and is known for his realist-style portraits and landscapes executed in watercolour.

Early life and career

Rahiman was born into a family skilled in illumination of Quranic manuscripts. He received a scholarship to study at the Sir J.J School of Art in Bombay from the Maharaja of Kolhapur upon the recommendation of the local British Resident.^{[ citation needed ]}

At the J.J School of Art, he trained under John Griffiths. He was a promising student, and his teachers expected his art-career to grow in the direction of Pestonji Bomanji. ^[4] In 1888, Rahiman was also awarded the inaugural Viceroy's Gold Medal. ^[5]

A personal setback (his mother's death, followed by tensions with his step-mother) forced him to live a secluded life on the outskirts of Kolhapur. Occasionally, he participated in shows by the Bombay Art Society. ^{[4] [6]}

During his lifetime, Rahiman did not receive much patronage outside of the Kolhapur Court and did not have a steady income. After the death of his patron (Shahu Maharaj) in 1922, Rahiman's income stream declined further, leading him to live in poverty. Unable to afford large canvases, he resorted to painting on scrap papers and produced miniatures; the financial strain and depression in the aftermath of his patron's death caused him to destroy many of his works. ^[4]

Abalal Rahiman's works remain part of many important collections including the Kolhapur Palace collection, National Gallery of Modern Art, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, DAG, Zapurza Museum of Art and Culture and also in private collections. ^[3]

Influence and legacy

Abalal Rahiman was a mentor to prominent artists like Baburao Painter ^[7] and S.Fatelal, founder of the Prabhat Film Company ^{[8] [9]} and his career inspired the work of painters such as M.K Parandekar ^[10] and M.V Dhurandhar. ^[11] Rahiman's work has been considered instrumental in establishing the 'Kolhapur School of European Naturalism'. ^{[12] [13]}

References

1. Mitter, Partha (1994). Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922: Occidental Orientations. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-44354-8.
2. "Abalal Rahiman". dagworld.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
3. "20th century Kolhapur artist's work comes to life in SUK's art gallery". The Times of India. 28 August 2015. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 12 April 2025.
4. Mitter, Partha (1994). Art and Nationalism in Colonial India, 1850-1922: Occidental Orientations. Cambridge University Press. ISBN   978-0-521-44354-8.
5. Relia, Anil (12 October 2010). The Indian Portrait: An artistic journey from miniature to modern. Archer Art Gallery.
6. "The iconic Bombay Art Society unveils an arts complex in Bandra". Hindustan Times. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
7. Sawant, Shukla (1 June 2017). "The Trace Beneath: The Photographic Residue in the Early Twentieth-century Paintings of the "Bombay School"" . BioScope. 8 (1): 1–29. doi:10.1177/0974927617700768. ISSN   0974-9276.
8. Kaur, Raminder; Sinha, Ajay J. (13 July 2005). Bollyworld: Popular Indian Cinema Through A Transnational Lens. SAGE Publications. ISBN   978-0-7619-3320-5.
9. "DAG World". dagworld.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
10. "M. K. Parandekar". dagworld.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
11. "Untitled". Pundoles. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
12. Bahulkar, Suhas (7 March 2022). "Artists of the Bombay School". Sothebys.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
13. Nair, Nandini (10 June 2022). "Finding Husain in Kudje". Open The Magazine. Retrieved 12 April 2025.