Who was Raja Ravi Varma?

About Raja Ravi Varma:

• He was an Indian painter and artist. He is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art.
• He was born as Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor palace, in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore (Thiruvithankur) in Kerala. 
• He is known for his amazing paintings, which revolve mainly around the Puranas (ancient mythological stories) and the great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
  • In addition to incidents in Hindu mythology, Varma painted many portraits of both Indians and British in India.
• His most famous works include Damayanti Talking to a Swan, Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta, Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair and Shantanu and Matsyagandha. 
• Features of his work:
  • Before Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings, the paintings of Indian artists were greatly influenced by the Persian and Mughal schools.
  • Varma was the first Indian to use Western techniques of perspective and composition and to adapt them to Indian subjects, styles and themes.
  • His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. 
  • He was one of the first Indian artists to use oil paints and to master the art of lithographic reproduction of his work.
  • He was notable for making affordable lithographs of his paintings available to the public, which greatly enhanced his reach and influence as a painter and public figure. 
  • His paintings often depicted mythological characters and Indian royalty in a realistic style, challenging traditional artistic norms.
• Recognitions:
  • He received widespread acclaim after he won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873.
  • His paintings were also sent to the World’s Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 and he was awarded two gold medals.
  • In 1904, Viceroy Lord Curzon, on behalf of the King Emperor, bestowed upon Raja Ravi Varma the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal. At this time, his name was mentioned as “Raja Ravi Varma” for the first time.