2. Raja Ravi Varma—Painter of Colonial
India (1848-1906)
Charismatic
Keralite
Rare
Phenomenon
Painter
Prince
India's first
Modern Painter Marketing
Genius
3. Early Life of the Painter
Born on April 29, 1848, in Kilimanoor, Kerala
Kerala to Umamba Thampuratti and Neelakantan
Bhattathiripad..
He was married to Pururuttathi Nal
Bhageerathi Amma Thampuran (Kochu
Pangi) of the Royal House of Mavelikara
Maharaja of Travancore .
And they had two sons & three daughters.
Umamba Thampuratti (Mother)
4. The Young Painter..
At the age of 7, he started drawing on
the palace walls using charcoal.
Primary education : with the help of
Uncle Raja Raja Varma & the ruling
king, Ayilyam Thirunal.
Water painting was taught to him by
Kilimanoor’s palace painter, Rama
Swami Naidu.
Oil painting : was taught by Dutch painter,
Theodor Jenson. Kilimanoor palace’s
entrance.
Technique : Paints made from leaves, flowers,
tree bark and soil.
5. Paintings
Based on
Portraits myths &
Portrait based legends
compositions
Lord Ampthill, Governor of
Madras (1905)
6. Tanjore custom (the
feminine emotions
being the central
theme)
European Realism
(oil colours)
7. o Elegant and refined look.
o Lively Effect
o Natural and Realistic
Harischandra in Distress
8. Noteworthy Aspects in his
paintings.
• Understanding of colour palletes.
•Radiant, impasto jewellery.
• Neat features
• Natural appealing colours.
• Mastery of painting beautiful
areas and perfect expressions.
Draupadi, in the guise Arjuna & Subhadra
of Syrendri with
Virata's wife.
9. Analysis
oThe traditional
look
o Emotion
Milkmaid (1904)
o Detailed work on attire
and other objects.
Victory of Meghanada (1905)
10. Muses / Inspirations
• He found Indian women beautiful.
•When he stayed in Bombay he drew some paintings of
Maharashtrian women.
•Fascination for the nine yard Sari.
•Stories and moments from the Sanskrit classics such as
Dushyanta and Shakuntala, and Nala and Damayanti.
11.
12. ACHIEVEMENTS
Awards :-
Twice in Madras Painting Exhibition (1873 & ‘74)
Vienna Exhibition (1873)
Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal by Viceroy Lord Curzon.
(1904)
In 1894, Bombay, he started the oleograph press The Ravi
Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press which was later shifter to
Lonavala.
He introduced a new medium of oil painting which is
known till date.
Total no. of paintings: 170
140-oil paintings
20-oleographs
10-lithographic....
Indian stamp honoring Raja Ravi
Varma
13. Painter’s lasts..
• He died on October 2,
1906 (aged 58).
• Cause of death : Diabetes
• Place : Kilimanoor,
Travancore, India
• Mysore
collection(Mahabharata)
was among the last Ravi
Varma did. .
14. "it is rare to come across men like him, artists like
him, lovers of India like him".-
- Dr. Abanindranath Tagore
15. Few of Ravi Varma’s best..!
Lady Lost in Deep Thought … Lady giving Alms.
17. Bibliography
• A text from Rupika Chawla’s book “Raja Ravi Varma—Painter of Colonial
India.
• A history of Indian painting: the modern period By Krishna Chaitanya
• http://www.cyberkerala.com/rajaravivarma/
• http://ravivarma.org (Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery)
• http://www.ravivarmaoleographs.com
• www.indianartcircle.com/arteducation/ravi.shtml
• http://www.astrojyoti.com/ravivarma.htm
• http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/art/raviverma/
