Ravi Varma’s painting- ‘Indulekha’

• The first true copy of the painting Indulekha by legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma will be unveiled at the Kilimanoor Palace, where the eminent artist was born in 1848.

Raja Ravi Varma

• It is considered the father of modern Indian art, as he combined Indian iconography with Western realism. His influence is seen in diverse fields such as art, literature, advertising, textiles, and comic books.
• Raja Ravi Varma, born into an aristocratic family in Kerala, started his professional art career at 22 and mastered oil painting.
• Varma was among the first Indian artists to use oil paints and is considered a representative of the Europeanised school of painting in India.
• Varma built his reputation through royal patronage, he received significant commissions from Maharana Fateh Singh and Sayajirao Gaekwad III.
• Works: Damayanti Talking to a Swan, Shakuntala Looking for Dushyanta, Nair Lady Adorning Her Hair, and Shantanu and Matsyagandha.
• Recognition: Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal by the British colonial government in 1904 and in 2013, a crater on the planet Mercury was named in his honour.

Prelims Takeaway:

• Raja Ravi Varma
• Oiling painting