About:
- Raja Ravi Varma (1848 – 1906) is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. Varma was patronised by Ayilyam Thirunal, the next Maharaja of Travancore and began formal training thereafter.
- A prolific artist, Varma is believed to have made around 7,000 paintings before his death at the age of 58. His most famous works include Damayanti Talking to a Swan, Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta, Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair, and Shantanu and Matsyagandha.
Key highlights of his work
- His works are held to be among the best examples of the fusion of European techniques with a purely Indian sensibility.
- Through his printing press, Varma’s humanised depiction of Hindu pantheon travelled beyond the surfaces of costly canvases, and into the prayer and living rooms of working-class homes.
- 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 depictions of Hindu deities and episodes from the epics and Puranas have received profound acceptance from the public and are found, often as objects of worship, across the length and breadth of India.
