A masterpiece

We are mesmerized by many paintings like the Monalisa by Leonard Da Vinci, The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh but there is a masterpiece which is less popular than it should be which is a wondrous creation of one of the finest Indian artist.

‘ Glow of Hope’ a painting by S L Haldankar, untitled as a woman with a lamp.

Sawlaram Lakshman Haldankar(S.L Haldankar) was born family from Sawantwadi, which was a princely state now located in Maharashtra, in the year 1882. He showed early talent which was noticed by the headmaster of Sawantwasdi School, the headmaster recommended him to the raja of the state later he was given the scholarship to follow his passion. He completed his graduation from J.J School of Arts, got a job in the same institution, in 1908 he left the institute he founded Haldankar’s Fine Arts Institute in Bombay (Mumbai), later with his other friends he founded the Art School of India in 1918.
In years 1910 and 1927 He was awarded twice the commendation
certificates by the Royal Society of British Artists, London, plus in 1932 the Governor’s Prize by the British Government of Bombay Presidency, after independence he was felicitated by the President of India, Dr.Rajendra Prasad, as he was felicitated as a fellow of
the Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi.
He was ranked as one of the three finest watercolorists in the world, in an Italian Encyclopedia.
His creation was showcased in prominent museums like the Prince of Wales Museum(Mumbai), National Gallery of Modern Art (Mumbai), Moscow Academy of Art(Russia) so as.

About his personal life, he got married at a very young age and was blessed with seven children, Four sons, and Three Daughters.
His best creation he was famous for the ‘Glow of Hope’ a painting
of a lady with a lamp, the woman on that painting was none other than Hladankar’s third daughter Gita, the idea of this painting was conceived during Diwali when he saw Gita wearing a beautiful saree holding a lamp covering it with her hand from the wind from blowing it out, the rays of the candle radiated from the gap within her fingers and it also illuminated her face, she has to hold that lamp for continuously 3 hours for his father so that he can complete his painting, he used watercolor in a handmade paper, as he wanted to prove that he can complete the painting in single go without a mistake, as mistakes with oil paints can be corrected. Each segment of this painting signifies somethings like the lavender color of the saree stand for grace and the gold for royal touch, and women in saree represent grace, feminity, and natural beauty.

It was painted between 1945-46, the painting Glow of hope’ is currently exhibited in Jaganmohan Palace in Mysore, Karnataka. the beauty of the painting can be defined more when we see it once in real.