Page 9 - Jehangir Sabavala - TheArtsTrust

Jehangir Ardeshir Sabavala was born on that he would spend hours in
23 August, 1922, to an affluent family, including his childhood roaming through
his father Ardeshir Pestonjee Sabavala, mother the halls and gardens, absorbing
Meherbai—lovingly called Bapsy—and brother the art of the time that the family
Sharokh. His mother’s ancestors, most notable collected, while also bearing witness
of whom was Sir Cowasjee Jehangir, had not to the contemporary traditions the
only been successful traders, but also essential family observed. The view of the
in their patronage of buildings that have sea from the house, the multi-hued
become quintessential in today’s Bombay- garden and the blue skies of Mumbai
scape, as well as patronage to charities and would inspire the waves, mountains,
educational institutions. Their contributions skies and landscapes we have come to
to iconic buildings include Elphinstone associate with Sabavala’s work today.
College, Victoria Museum and Jehangir Art Jehangir moved several houses
Gallery, among others. during this period, from Readymoney
Sabavala’s mother, Bapsy, was House to Europe to The Retreat in
known to be a grandiose woman who New Cuffe Parade to Aewan-E-Rafiyat
built a Home For The Blind in Bombay in Malabar Hill. Each of these homes
(now Mumbai) and established the showcased the grandiose artistic taste
Swabal chain of co-operative stores. His of his mother. During the 1930s, she
father, on the other hand, sought out took them all over the country—Madras
education and civic responsibility. A (now Chennai), Amritsar, Udaipur, Delhi,
successful lawyer, he went on to work in Bengal, Banaras and Bodh Gaya—and
politics, climbing ranks from Chairman then on an extensive journey through
of the Bombay Electric and Suburban Europe and Australia in 1936, and China,
Tramways Corporation from 1938 to Japan and North America in 1939. It was
1939 to Mayor of Bombay in 1947. in Europe that Jehangir was introduced
Ardeshir, and later Sharokh, joined to museums, galleries and theatres, which
Tata Industries in the early 1940s. played a large role in influencing him to take
Many of Sabavala’s works up art. Here, he was in the august company
showcase the loneliness of his of works by Bellini, Veronese, Tintoretto,
Clockwise from top left:
childhood, shadowed by his parents’ Zurbaran, Greco, Rubens, Rembrandt, In the Readymoney House garden with brother Sharokh;
marriage and eventual separation in Delacroix, Gericault and the Impressionists. Sabavala as a young man ready to explore the world;
Jehangir with mother Bapsy and his brother
the mid-1940s. His family made the Montreux, a small town in Switzerland,
move from Churchgate to Malabar became home to the Sabavala family for four
Hill in the 1860s, and he grew up years, with Jehangir and Sharokh enrolling at
in Readymoney House, a mansion the Fisher’s Institute at Territet. Jehangir was
on Nepean Sea Road. It was here not fond of formal education or sports, and

6