Introduction:

April 29 is the birth anniversary of the famed Indian painter Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), remembered for giving Indians their western, classical representations of Hindu gods and goddesses. 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.

Raja Ravi Varma is considered as one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. He is known for his amazing paintings which revolve mainly around the Puranas (ancient mythological stories) and the great Indian epics – Mahabharata and Ramayana. He is one of the few painters who managed to accomplish a beautiful union of Indian tradition with the techniques of European academic art.

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Significance of Varma’s art:

• Varma was also responsible in taking the Indian art all over the world with his impeccable technique.
• While the Europeans and other art lovers admired his technique, the laymen of India enjoyed his work for its simplicity.
• His paintings highlighted the beauty of South Indian women which were admired by all.
• His portrayal of Hindu gods and goddesses went on to become worship material for many people belonging to the lower castes who weren’t allowed in temples.
• He also managed to improve the artistic knowledge and spread the importance of art among Indian people.
• He achieved this by making affordable lithographs, which were accessible even to the poor.
• Recognizing his feat, Viceroy Lord Curzon honoured him with the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal for his service in the furtherance of public interest.
• His paintings can be classified into three categories – portraits, portrait-based compositions and theatrical compositions based on myths and legends. It is the third category of paintings for which Raja Ravi Varma is most renowned.
• Ravi Varma first started a press in Mumbai and later shifted it to a place near Lonavala. The press came up with tons of oleographs, depicting Hindu gods and goddesses

Raja Ravi Varma produced many masterpieces of art during his life. Some of the most prominent works of Raja Ravi Varma:

• A Family of Beggars – This painting represented the sorry state of Indian economics.
• A Lady Playing Swarbat – Just like many of his paintings, this too, was modelled after a South Indian woman.
• Arjuna and Subhadra – This painting narrates a story from the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
• Damayanti Talking to a Swan – This too is a scene straight out of Mahabharata.
• Jatayu (a bird devotee of Lord Rama) – This is perhaps one of the most commonly featured work of Raja Ravi Varma. The picture narrates the story of Jatayu who gives up its life after fighting the mighty villain Ravana from Ramayanam.
• Lady Lost in Thought – Once again this painting was modelled after a South Indian woman.
• Nair Woman – As the name suggests, this painting portrays a Malayali woman in all her glory.
• Shakuntala – This painting depicts the legendary woman Shakuntala who marries Dushyanta. The couple later gave birth to Bharata after whom ancient India was named.
• Romancing Couple – This painting goes on to show that Raja Ravi Varma was not a painter who limited himself to depicting only gods and goddesses

However, Varma is often criticized for being too showy in his paintings. His paintings are also condemned for overshadowing traditional Indian art forms, especially the ones depicting Hindu gods and goddesses. His approach is said to lack the dynamism of expression seen in the traditional paintings. Critics have also criticized him for modelling goddesses after prostitutes, saying that his representation of deities have reduced them to the level of mortals.

Conclusion:

He was one of the first Indian artists to use oil paints and to master the art of lithographic reproduction of his work. In addition to incidents in Hindu mythology, Varma painted many portraits of both Indians and British in India. He adapted Western realism to pioneer a new movement in Indian art.