Mahadev Vishwanath Dhurandhar (1867-1944), known as M. V. Dhurandhar, was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and trained at the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai, where he later became one of its leading teachers and eventually Principal.

Working within an academic realist tradition during the colonial period, Dhurandhar produced paintings and illustrations that documented aspects of Indian life, including social customs, occupations, and historical subjects. His work is noted for its clarity of form, attention to detail, and narrative quality.

He is regarded as an important figure in early modern Indian art, particularly for his role in art education and his contribution to visual documentation in late 19th and early 20th-century India.