Raja Ravi Varma

•Raja Ravi Varma Coil Thampuran  (29 April 1848 – 5 October 1906) was an Indian painter and artist from the princely state of Travancore (presently in southern Kerala & some parts of Tamil Nadu) who achieved recognition for his paintings depicting scenes from Indian literature and mythology including the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana.

•He is considered among the greatest painters in the history of Indian art and his paintings are considered to be among the best examples of the fusion of Indian traditions with the techniques of European academic art.

•Varma was patronized by Ayilyam Thirunal, the then Maharajah of Travancore and began formal training thereafter.  He learned the basics of painting in Madurai. Later, he was trained in water painting by Rama Swami Naidu and in oil painting by Dutch portraitist Theodor Jenson. •Varma received widespread acclaim after he won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873. Varma's paintings were also sent to the World's Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 and he was awarded three gold medals.

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•He travelled throughout India in search of subjects. He often modeled Hindu Goddesses on South Indian women, whom he considered beautiful. Ravi Varma is particularly noted for his paintings depicting episodes from the story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, and Nala and Damayanti, from the Mahabharata.

• Ravi Varma's representation of mythological characters has become a part of the Indian imagination of the epics.

•He is often criticized for being too showy and sentimental in his style but his work remains very popular in India. Many of his fabulous paintings are housed at laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara.

The studio used by Varma during his stay at the laxmi vilas palace.

Jatayu struck down by Ravana from Ramayana

Inspiration•As narrated in the novel "Raja Ravi Varma" by Ranjit Desai, There was a woman called Sugandha Bai who became inspiration for Raja Ravi Varma to paint gods and goddesses as human beings.• Once Ravi Varma happened to see this beautiful lady in a temple and suddenly felt inspired. He then sketched Sugandha Bai's portrait and gifted her. •Sugandha Bai got attracted towards Raja Ravi Varma's sketches and agreed to become his model to portray Hindu Goddesses in his paintings.

•Apparently on the advice of the then Dewan (Prime Minister) of Travancore, T. Madhava Rao, Ravi Varma started a lithographic printing press in Ghatkopar, Mumbai in 1894 and later shifted it to Malavli near Lonavala, Maharashtra in 1899. •The press was managed by Varma's brother, Raja Varma. In 1901 the press was sold to his printing technician from Germany, Mr. Schleicher and later closed down after it was gutted in an accidental fire.

Lord Shiva and ParvatiPainting by Raja Ravi Varma

•The oleographs produced by the press were mostly of Hindu gods and goddesses in scenes adapted mainly from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas.• These oleographs were very popular and continued to be printed in thousands for many years, even after the 1906 death of Ravi Varma.

Honours•In 1904, Viceroy Lord Curzon, on behalf of the British King Emperor, bestowed upon Varma the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal. •A college dedicated to fine arts was also constituted in his honour at Mavelikara, Kerala. Raja Ravi Varma High School at Kilimanoor was named after him and there are many cultural organizations throughout India bearing his name. In 2013, the crater Varma on Mercury was named in his honour.• Considering his vast contribution to Indian art, the Government of Kerala has instituted an award called "Raja Ravi Varma Puraskaram", which is awarded every year to people who show excellence in the field of art and culture.

Paintings of goddess Lakshmi and goddess Saraswati -by Raja Ravi Varma

Galaxy of musicians

Made By :- J.Pratima Lakshmi Class 10th A