Raja Ravi Varma () (29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter. His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. He greatly enhanced his reach and influence as a painter and public figure by making affordable lithographs of his paintings available to the public. His lithographs increased the involvement of common people with fine arts and defined artistic tastes. Furthermore, his religious depictions of Hindu deities and works from Indian epic poetry and Puranas have received critical acclaim. He was part of the royal family of Parappanad, Malappuram district.

Raja Ravi Varma was closely related to the royal family of Travancore of present-day Kerala state in India. Later in his life, two of his granddaughters were adopted into the royal family.

Personal life

Varma was born on 29 April 1848, as M. R. Ry. Ravi Varma (), Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor at Kilimanoor palace in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore (present-day Kerala) into an aristocratic family that for over 200 years produced consorts for the princesses of the matrilineal Travancore royal family. The title Raja was conferred as a personal title by the Viceroy and Governor-General of India Lord Curzon. He learned the basics of painting in Madurai. Later, he was trained in water painting by Rama Swami Naidu and rather reluctantly in oil painting by British portraitist Theodore Jenson.

thumb|left|The studio used by Varma during his stay at the [[Laxmi Vilas Palace]]

The British administrator, Edgar Thurston was significant in promoting the careers of Varma and his brother. 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. He travelled throughout India in search of subjects. He often modelled Hindu Goddesses on 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 Hindu 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.

Raja Ravi Varma Press

thumb|Mrs. Ramanadha Rao and son

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 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.

The Ravi Varma press was the largest and most innovative press in India at that time. The press was managed by Varma's brother, Raja Varma, but under their management, it was a commercial failure. By 1899 the press was deeply in debt and in 1901, the press was sold to his printing technician from Germany, Fritz Schleicher. Schleicher continued to print Ravi Varma's prints but later employed other artists to create new designs. Schleicher also broadened the product of press to include commercial and advertisement labels. Under the management of Schleicher and his successors, the press continued successfully until a devastating fire destroyed the whole factory in 1972. Many of Ravi Varma's original lithographic prints were also lost in the fire.

Honours

thumb|Raja Ravi Varma on a 1971 stamp of India

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 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 honor. 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.

  • On his 65th death anniversary, India Post issued a commemorative postal stamp depicting Ravi Varma and his famous painting 'Damayanti and Swan'

Legacy

Raja Ravi Varma is sometimes regarded as the first modern Indian artist due to his ability to reconcile Western aesthetics with Indian iconography. The Indian art historian and critic Geeta Kapur wrote,

Similarly, Baroda School artist Gulam Mohammed Sheikh also wrote about Ravi Varma as a modern artist. In his essay "Ravi Varma in Baroda", Sheikh asserted that Varma was a key figure in the establishment of Indian modern art, claiming that "the story of contemporary Indian art was never the same after Ravi Varma had entered it. He left his imprint on almost every aspect of it." Like Kapur, Sheikh praised Ravi Varma's integration of Indian and Western aesthetics and techniques, comparing him favorably to Indian modernist Nandalal Bose.

However, Ravi Varma's legacy is controversial. Fellow Baroda School artist and art historian Ratan Parimoo saw Ravi Varma in a less favorable light, derogatorily referring to him as kitsch and claiming Varma's work was less spiritually authentic than folk art and tribal art. He argued that Ravi Varma was responsible for the "vulgarity" of popular art, comparing Varma's work to the lurid colors and sexuality of popular images in calendar art and films.

Despite his controversial legacy, Ravi Varma continues to be an important figure for modern and contemporary Indian artists. For example, modern artist Nalini Malani recreated Ravi Varma's Galaxy of Musicians in her video installation Unity in Diversity to interrogate Ravi Varma's idealistic nationalism. Similarly, contemporary artist Pushpamala N. recreated several Ravi Varma paintings with herself as the subject to deconstruct Ravi Varma's idealized depictions of goddesses and Indian women.

Many organizations do programs in his memory and give awards in his name. A two days festival of The Maharaja Ranjitsinh Gaekwad Festival of Arts is annually organized, in his memory at the Durbar Hall in Laxmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara, Gujarat.

The Raja Ravi Varma Award for Excellence in the Field of Visual Arts is presented during this festival. Jayant Parikh was the first recipient.

List of major works

The following is a list of the prominent works of Ravi Varma. On the anniversary of what would be his 150th birthday, Google Arts and Culture released over 300 of his works online for everyone to view.

  • Mohini playing with a ball
  • Yashoda and Krishna
  • Village Belle
  • Lady Lost in Thought
  • Damayanti Talking to a Swan
  • The Orchestra
  • Arjuna and Subhadra
  • The heartbroken
  • Swarbat Player
  • Shakuntala
  • Lord Krishna as Ambassador
  • Jatayu, a bird devotee of Lord Rama is mauled by Ravana
  • Victory of Indrajit
  • The gypsies <!-- title was changed by a new editor - please verify title -->
  • A Lady Playing Swarbat
  • Lady Giving Alms at the Temple
  • Lord Rama Conquers Varuna
  • Victory of Meghanada
  • Nair Woman
  • Romancing Couple
  • Draupadi Dreading to Meet Kichaka
  • Shantanu and Matsyagandha
  • Shakuntala Composing a Love Letter to King Dushyanta
  • Girl in Sage Kanwa's Hermitage (Rishi-Kanya)
  • Bharani Thirunal Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore
  • Sri Shanmukha Subramania Swami
  • Woman holding a fan
  • 3D painting of the Mysore king on a horse (now on display at the Mysore Palace)

Sri Cyrus Poonawalla who is the founder and managing director of Serum Institute of India, acquired Ravi Varma's painting, "Yashoda and Krishna " for 167.2 crore Indian rupees at a Saffronart auction in Delhi on April 1, 2026. (source www.thehindu.com updated on 3.4.2026 at 8.29 am IST.) The sale at US$17.9 million set an auction record for the work of an Indian artist and surpasses Varma's previous record of US$4.5 million set in 2023.

More at Category:Raja Ravi Varma<gallery mode="packed" heights="187">

File:Raja Ravi Varma - Mahabharata - Shakuntala.jpg|Shakuntala looking for Dushyanta

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Galaxy of Musicians.jpg|Galaxy of Musicians

File:Sakunthala-pathralekhanam.jpg|Shakuntala Patra-lekhan

File:Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair.jpg|Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Expectation.jpg|Expectation

File:Radha in the Moonlight.jpg|Radha in the Moonlight

File:Ravi Varma-Princess Damayanthi talking with Royal Swan about Nala.jpg|Hamsa Damayanti

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Gypsies (1893).jpg|Gypsies

File:Raja Ravi Varma - Woman Holding a Fruit - Google Art Project.jpg|Woman Holding a Fruit

File:Murugan by Raja Ravi Varma.jpg|Sri Shanmukha Subramania Swami

File:Saraswati.jpg|Saraswati

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala (1905).jpg|Geevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala

File:Ravi Varma-Descent of Ganga.jpg|Descent of Ganga

File:Sri Krishna as Envoy.jpg|Sri Krishna as Envoy

File:Ravi Varma-Ravana Sita Jathayu.jpg|Jatayu fights Ravana

File:Ravi Varma-Lady Giving Alms at the Temple.jpg|Lady giving alms in a temple

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Stolen Interview.jpg|Stolen Interview

File:Raja Ravi Varma, The Maharashtrian Lady.jpg|The Maharashtrian Lady

File:Rama-Varuna.jpg|Rama vanquishing the ocean

File:Mohini on a swing.jpg|Mohini on a swing

File:Draupadi Vastraharan, Raja Ravi Varma.jpg|Disrobing of Draupadi

File:Sita Bhum Pravesh.jpg|Sita Bhumi Pravesh

File:Draupadi humiliated RRV.jpg|Draupadi being humiliated in the court of Virata

File:Yashoda with Krishna, Raja Ravi Varma.jpg|Krishna with Yashoda

File:Village Belle, by Raja Ravi Varma.jpg|Village Belle

File:Victory of Meghanada by RRV.jpg|Victory of Meghanada

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Malabar Lady.jpg|Malabar Lady or Swarbat Player

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Keechaka and Sairandhri, 1890.jpg|Keechaka and Sairandhri

File:Ravi Varma-Shantanu and Satyavati.jpg|Shantanu and Matsyagandha

File:Ravi Varma-Arjuna and Subhadra.jpg|Arjuna and Subhadra

File:Woman holading a fan by Raja Ravi Varma.jpg|Woman holding a fan

File:Ladies in the moonlight by RRV.jpg|Damayanti and her maid in the moonlight

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Shakuntala lost in thoughts (1901).jpg|Shakuntala lost in thoughts

File:Raja Ravi Varma, Disappointing News.jpg|Disappointing News

File:The Fatal Garland from The Modern Review Vol 01 (Jan.-June 1907) (page 7 crop).jpg|The Fatal Garland

</gallery>

J. Sasikumar made Raja Ravi Varma, an Indian documentary television film on the artist in 1997. It was produced by the Government of India's Films Division.

Makaramanju (English: The Mist of Capricorn) is a 2011 Indian Malayalam-language romantic drama film by Lenin Rajendran starring Santosh Sivan as Varma, the film focuses on Varma's painting "Urvashi Pururavas". The 2014 Indian Hindi-language film, Rang Rasiya (English title: Colours of Passion) explores Varma's inspiration behind his paintings with Randeep Hooda in the role of the painter.

Bibliography

English

  • Raja Ravi Varma: An Everlasting Imprint; Volume 3- A Divine Omnipresence by Ganesh V. Shivaswamy, Pub: White Falcon, Chandigarh, March 2024
  • Raja Ravi Varma: An Everlasting Imprint; Volume 2- A Resonant Impression by Ganesh V. Shivaswamy, Pub: White Falcon, Chandigarh, Nov 2023
  • Raja Ravi Varma: An Everlasting Imprint; Volume 1- The Shaping of an Artist by Ganesh V. Shivaswamy, Pub: White Falcon, Chandigarh, March 2023
  • Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial Indian by Rupika Chawla, Pub: Mapin Publishing, Ahmedabad, March 2010.
  • Raja Ravi Varma – Oleographs Catalogue by D.Jegat Ishwari, Pub: ShriParasuraman, Chennai, 2010,
  • Ravi Varma Classic: 2008, Genesis Art Foundation, Cochin-18;45 colour plate with text by Vijayakumar Menon.
  • The Painter: A life of Ravi Varma by Deepanjana Pal Random House India, 2011
  • Raja Ravi Varma – The Most Celebrated Painter of India: 1848–1906, Parsram Mangharam, Bangalore, 2007
  • Raja Ravi Varma – The Painter Prince: 1848–1906, Parsram Mangharam, Bangalore, 2003
  • Raja Ravi Varma and the Printed Gods of India, Erwin Neumayer & Christine Schelberger, New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 2003
  • Raja Ravi Varma: The Most Celebrated Painter of India : 1848 – 1906, Classic Collection, Vol I & II. Bangalore, Parsram Mangharam, 2005
  • Raja Ravi Varma: Portrait of an Artist, The Diary of C. Raja Raja Varma/edited by Erwin Neumayer and Christine Schelberger. New Delhi, Oxford University Press, 2005
  • Divine Lithography, Enrico Castelli and Giovanni Aprile, New Delhi, Il Tamburo Parlante Documentation Centre and Ethnographic Museum, 2005
  • Photos of the Gods: The Printed Image and Political Struggle in India by Christopher Pinney. London, Reaktion Book, 2004
  • Raja Ravi Varma:Raja Ravi Varma:E.M Joseph Venniyur, former director of AIR
  • Raja Ravi Varma: A Novel, Ranjit Desai -Translated by Vikrant Pande, Pub: Harper Perennial (2013),
  • Pages of a Mind: Life and Expressions, Raja Ravi Varma, Pub: Piramal Art Foundation (2016),

Gujarati

  • Raja Ravi Varma by Dr. Bharat Kheni, Sahitya Akademi Puraskar winner

Malayalam

  • Ravi Varma – A critical study by Vijayakumar Menon, Pub: Kerala Lalitha Kala Akademy, Trissur, 2002
  • Raja Ravi Varmayum chitrkalayum, Kilimanoor Chandran, Department of Cultural Publications, Kerala Government, 1999.
  • Chithramezhuthu Koyithampuran, P. N. Narayana Pillai.
  • Raja Ravi Varma, N. Balakrishnan Nair.

Marathi

  • "Raja Ravi Varma", a novel by Marathi language novelist Ranjit Desai translated into English by Vikrant Pande.

References

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  • The largest collection of chromolithographs from the Ravi Varma Press which may be viewed in Hi-resolution
  • The oldest website exclusively for Raja Ravi Varma’s Oleographs

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