Raja ravi verma's Paintings

Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art and is often referred to as the "Father of Modern Indian Art."

His works are famous for their unique style, which is a significant fusion of European academic art techniques with purely Indian sensibilities and iconography.

Style and Contribution

• Fusion of East and West: Varma was a pioneer in using oil paints to depict Indian subjects. He mastered the techniques of European academic realism—such as perspective, chiaroscuro (use of light and shadow), and realistic life study—and applied them to traditional Indian themes.

• Mythological and Epic Subjects: His paintings are primarily centered around the Puranas and the great Indian epics, the Mahabharata and Ramayana.⁵ He was renowned for portraying Hindu gods and goddesses with human features, which was a departure from traditional styles.

• Democratization of Art (Oleographs): His most significant contribution was making art accessible to the common people. He set up the first lithographic press in India to mass-reproduce his paintings as affordable prints (oleographs). These prints, especially of Goddesses Saraswati and Lakshmi, became widely recognizable and enduring, adorning Indian households and religious spaces.

• Depiction of Indian Women: He is particularly noted for his portraits of women, often modeling Hindu goddesses on South Indian women. These figures are typically represented as graceful and sensuous, adorned in finely detailed jewelry and saris.

Most Famous Paintings and Themes

His body of work includes portraits, royal scenes, and, most famously, mythological narratives. Key paintings include:

Painting Name	Year	Subject/Theme
Shakuntala	1898	Depicts the character from the Mahabharata and Kalidasa's play, often showing her pretending to remove a thorn while stealing a glance at King Dushyanta.
Hamsa Damayanti	1899	Illustrates the story of Princess Damayanti and the swan (Hamsa), who serves as a messenger between her and King Nala from the Mahabharata.
The Milkmaid	1904	A serene and captivating portrayal of an Indian woman clad in a sari, showcasing his mastery of realism and detail.
There Comes Papa	1893	A genre painting showing his daughter and grandson eagerly awaiting the return of the father, noted for its intimate, familial moment.
Galaxy of Musicians	1889	A composition depicting women from different regions of India, each playing a musical instrument, intended to represent the cultural diversity of the country.
Goddess Lakshmi	(Various)	One of his most recognizable religious works, often showing the goddess of wealth standing on a lotus.
Goddess Saraswati	(Various)	The goddess of knowledge and arts, typically shown holding her veena (lute).

Raja Ravi Varma's work has had a lasting influence, with his visual motifs affecting cinema, literature, and popular culture in India.

Let's delve into the process Raja Ravi Varma used to mass-produce his art: Lithography, specifically creating Oleographs.

Ravi Varma and the Rise of the Oleograph

Before Raja Ravi Varma, fine art in India was largely confined to royal courts or religious sites. His decision to establish a lithographic press fundamentally changed this.

1. The Establishment of the Press

• When: 1894

• Where: Ghatkopar, near Bombay (Mumbai).

• What: The Ravi Varma Lithographic Press.

• Motivation: Varma wanted to bring art, especially the idealized images of Hindu deities he painted, into the homes of common people across India, making them accessible and affordable.

2. The Process: Lithography

Lithography is a printing method based on the principle that oil and water repel each other.

• Creating the Image: Varma would first create a detailed painting. The image was then drawn onto a flat slab of limestone or a metal plate using a greasy medium (like a crayon or ink).

• Printing: The plate was wet with water (which stuck only to the non-greasy parts) and then inked with oil-based ink (which stuck only to the greasy, drawn image).

• The Oleograph Difference: To create a colored print—an Oleograph (also known as a Chromolithograph)—a separate stone was needed for every single color used in the painting. Some of Varma's prints required 15 to 20 different stones to achieve the richness of his oil paintings. The paper had to be run through the press, perfectly aligned, for each color application.

• The Finish: The resulting prints were often given a textured finish to mimic the look and feel of an actual oil painting, hence the term "Oleograph."

3. The Impact

• Democratization of Art: The prints were sold for a few rupees, making them accessible to a vast, pan-Indian audience. This led to his mythological paintings becoming the definitive visual representation of Hindu gods and goddesses for generations of Indians.

• National Identity: His standardized and idealized imagery helped forge a visual, pan-Indian religious and cultural identity during a period of rising nationalism.

• Legacy: Even after the press failed financially and was sold in 1901, the prints continued to be produced, confirming Varma's enduring legacy as both an artist and a cultural entrepreneur.

Raja Ravi Varma's genius lay in how he humanized divine figures, making them relatable and beautiful using Western techniques. The prints of his mythological figures are perhaps his most widely recognized work.

Here are four of the most iconic mythological figures he painted, which became ubiquitous in Indian homes through his lithographic prints:

1. Goddess Lakshmi (Gajalakshmi)

• Significance: Goddess of wealth, fortune, power, luxury, beauty, fertility, and prosperity.

• Ravi Varma's Style: He often portrayed her standing or sitting on a blooming lotus, dressed in a red saree, dispensing gold coins or flanked by white elephants (Gajalakshmi). He depicted her with exquisite detail in her attire and jewelry, giving her a serene, yet earthly, beauty. His image of Lakshmi became the standard representation of the Goddess in popular culture.

2. Goddess Saraswati

• Significance: Goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning.

• Ravi Varma's Style: She is typically shown seated in a tranquil setting, wearing a graceful white saree (symbolizing purity), and playing the veena (a string instrument). Her calm expression conveyed divine wisdom and her features were often idealized to represent the most beautiful and intelligent Indian woman.

3. Lord Rama, Sita, and Hanuman (The Ramayana)

• Significance: Central figures of the epic Ramayana, symbolizing dharma (righteous conduct), devotion, and strength.

• Ravi Varma's Style: Varma painted numerous scenes from the Ramayana, such as "Jatayu Vadha" (Jatayu's final moments) or "Sita Bhumi Pravesh" (Sita entering the earth). These paintings captured dramatic, emotional moments with theatrical flair and detailed anatomical realism. His portrayals defined how people imagined these epic characters for decades.

4. Krishna and Yasoda / Infant Krishna

• Significance: Lord Krishna, a popular avatar of Vishnu, often depicted as a playful child or a divine lover.

• Ravi Varma's Style: He painted intimate, tender scenes, moving away from grand battle depictions. Paintings like "Infant Krishna Sitting on Yashoda's Lap" or scenes of Krishna's mischievous childhood emphasized the human side of the divine, filled with emotion and domestic warmth, which resonated deeply with the masses.

These oleographs were not just art; they were a significant force in standardizing the iconography of Hindu deities, making sacred art an integral part of everyday Indian life.