Manchershaw Fakirjee Pithawalla

Manchershaw Fakirjee Pithawalla was born in 1872, died 1937. He was an important painter of the Bombay School in the early 20th century.
M F Pithawalla was born in Pitha, Surat. He moved to Bombay following his father's death in 1888. He was discovered and trained by John Griffiths, the principal of Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy School of Art. His first showing at the Bombay Fine Arts exhibition won him a silver medal.

Thereafter, he began exhibiting widely at shows in Simla, Bombay, Darjeeling, Madras and Pune. Pithawalla was a regular prize winner at exhibitions of art societies across India. He was the only artist to win three successive prizes at the Bombay Art Society, including a gold medal in 1908.

In 1911, Pithawalla left for Europe visiting Italy, Paris and London. He had a one-man show at the Dore Gallery in London in October, 1911. Later, his portrait of Sir Jamsetjee Jeejebhoy was displayed in an exhibition of "Modern Indian Art" at the New Burlington Galleries in London in 1934. His talent for portraiture drew praise in London. The art critic Sir George Birdwood wrote an article in his appreciation and commented on his copies of Velasquez and Rembrandt paintings, “When slightly aged, it will be hard to distinguish them from the originals.

Pithawala's portraits document the ethos and hierarchy of the colonial establishment in India. He depicted members of the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, ladies and gentlemen of high standing – lawyers, landlords, elite merchants and their wives. He is also remembered for the album he was commissioned to make for Queen Mary on her Indian visit in 1905, containing watercolours of women from different Indian communities.
M F Pithawala served a 30-year term as a committee member of the Bombay Art Society and as vice-president of the Art Society of India.

He received Silver Medal Awarded and Cash Prize of Rupees 70 in 1894, Bombay Fine Art Exhibition, Bombay. in 1907, 1908 and 1909 Gold Medal, Annual Exhibition, Bombay Art Society, Bombay. 1894 to 1911 Awarded 24 Gold and Silver Medals and 45 Cash Prizes

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