Vacant Memories

ByShriram Khadilkar

An artist’s work space is his private lair.In this era of tech gizmos and virtual connect, we take you back in time tofilm-maker, painter-sculptor, legendary Baburao Painter’s studio in Kolhapur,which was the epitome of comfort and tech-convenience in the early 20^thcentury.

                                                                                                            

Maharashtrianlegend, Shri Baburao Mestri, popularly known as Baburao Painter (named afterhis exceptional painting skill) is revered with the title of ‘Kalamaharshi’. Hewas a great film maker, master painter, eminent sculptor and expert designer.Fifty-six years after his death, today, his studio in Kolhapur is wellmaintained by his family members - well equipped, as it stands, with moderntechnology and advance amenities. We can say that not a single artist in ourcountry has a studio as equipped as Baburao Painter’s.

          

BaburaoPainter was very much impressed by the studios of some of the European artistsof his times. He had dreamed that one day he will have a studio of similar orsuperior status. And, it was not long before his dream turned in reality.Baburao built his house when he was in his early 50’s; and he did so as per hispersonal set of specifications.  A groundplus two storey structure, the house hosted Baburao’s sculpture studio and akitchen on the ground floor; family quarters on the first floor and anotherspacious studio on the second floor.

Thegeneral observation in those days was that while working on a huge sizedcanvas, the artist had to step up on scaffolding, or spread the canvashorizontally on the ground – an option less rampant due to space constraints.To avoid the climbing exercise, Baburao designed the floor of his studio suchthat he could easily paint the upper portion of the canvas while sitting in hisstudio on the second floor. And at that time, the rest of the canvas would hangfrom the ceiling of the first floor, suspended via a pulley in the ceiling ofhis studio. It was with the help of this pulley, that he could adjust thesuspended canvas at his desired height.

Therewas little that the man did not apply his genius to. Baburao was an expert atcarpentry too. He designed his own easel in such a way that he could adjust theheight of the canvas without touching it. Applying the right technology wasinstrumental. He had two clutches crafted - one to lift the canvas verticallyupwards; and the other to bring it down. He also designed a special table tostore oil colours and brushes with a special provision to house the palate asis. A flap covered the opening and just as one opened the flap, the palatewould pop up! And the table was portable too. Its little wheels could take itaround the studio at will and ease.

Attentionto detail was another marked quality of the man who made great strides in thefield of art and culture in the early 20^th century. His entirestudio had wooden flooring; and there was ample natural light flooding thestudio. To maximize the quotient of natural light, he had windows positioned inthe north wall and a skylight positioned in the sloping Mangalore-tiled roof.  A curtain was strategically placed to blotchout the harsh sunlight, whenever required.  

Thisis the story of early 20^th century. Not a single artist of today hasdesigned his equipments like Baburao did. This is the reality of the start of the21^st century.                                                                                                     

BaburaoPainter is one of the great artists who gave Kolhapur the synonym ‘Kalapur’.  Baburao painted thousands of his works inthis studio. These works may presently be occupying pride of place, decoratingthe walls of some museums, enriching the collection of art collectors.

Butalas! His beautifully maintained studio does not host even a single of hisworks.