I never met late Shri. J. D. Gondhalekar who was a renowned artist and Dean of Sir J J School of Art, Mumbai.

Senior artist Shri. Suhas Bahulkar requested me to organise an exhibition of Shri. Gondhalekar's paintings. I was happy to accept this suggestion and Indiaart Gallery organised a show featuring Shri. J. D. Gondhalekar's paintings in February 2008. I interacted with two daughters of late Shri. J. D. Gondhalekar - Mrs. Meena Purandare and Mrs. Lata Kothurkar. They were very supportive and made available the paintings.

Janardhan Dattareya Gondhalekar was born in 1909 in Amraovati in Maharashtra. After receiving his Diploma in Drawing and Painting from the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai, he studied techniques and skills at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and at the Academie Julian in Paris. He also studied methods to restore paintings and art obiects at the Laboratoria Centrale des Musees de Belgique in Belguim under a Fellowship bestowed on him by the UNESCO in 1950.

Shri. J. D. Gondhalekar was an efficient educator, administrator and cultural visionary. Recipient of several prestigious awards, this artist continued painting throughout his career. He wrote and broadcast widely on art and he participated in art exhibitions both nationally and internationally in countries includes Belgium, Germany, England and Latin America. He was the Art Director of the Times of India, The Dean of the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai and The Art Director of several films.

In this exhibition around 50 paintings / sketches were displayed. The mediums for these included Pen and Ink, Gouache, Oil and Watercolour. The show was a big success in terms of visitor response as well as sale.

Gallery of Old Master J. D. Gondhalekar's Paintings and Sketches :
Paintings by J. D. Gondhalekar - II