Raja Ravi Varma - The Royal Highness of Travancore (India) - Facts

People referred to him as 'Prince Painter'. He was born in an ancient royal family (Indian Warrior Clan), yet modern and rational in his thoughts.

His work was recognized worldwide after he won an award for an exhibition of his paintings at Vienna in 1873 AD. His paintings on Gods made people pray from deep with-in their soul. Utmost elegance filled the faces of ladies in his portraits. All we know is the brighter and cherished part of this great painter, but little is our knowledge about his darker side.

The Raja was tortured in court, for his paintings on Gods, which had striking resemblance with 'Sugandha', a widow (his lover). She was the model for most of the Raja's paintings and this led to the upper caste extremists wanting him behind the bars. However, the Raja won the legal battle, but pitifully lost when Sugandha committed suicide doubting if the Raja would lose. She lost her life on his lap, and the agony was left-over his entire life.

 

Some of his great works that inspired me are:

There comes Papa: Lady with Child
(Oil painting on canvas - 1893 AD - Displayed at Kowdiar Palace, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala)

 The lady in the picture is the Raja's daughter Rani Mahaprabha, (mother of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi (who later became Maharani of Travancore)).Each and every bit of the picture make us feel to be alive before us. The innocence in the face of the child and the kind look of the mother are very well extracted through the paint on brush. Every bit of the stroke that the painter has marked adds a mark on our mind.

Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi portrays the baby in the picture.

Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi

 

 

Lady in the Moon Light
(Oil painting on canvas - 1889 AD - Displayed at SriJayachama Rajendra Art Gallery, Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore, Karnataka)

 

 This is yet another favorite of me among the Raja's collection. The moon light falling on the lady adds beauty to her gorgeous skin tone. The queenly gesture, as though she expects someone, is well pictured by the artist. Also the light on the pool and the shaded sky explains things to us more sharper than what a photograph could do. 

Looking into the Mirror - undated

 

The mother who tries to calm down her mischievous child by showing the reflection of his face in the mirror. The pious nature of motherhood is well depicted in this painting. The toys in the picture and the wooden wall adds traditional touch to the work. This is one more magnificent work by the Raja.

Kamsa Maya
(Oil painting on canvas - 1890 AD - Displayed at Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum, Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Baroda, Gujarat)

 

Kamsa trying to kill the child, shown Maya by Goddess Durga. The sketch portrays a scene of the great epic - 'Mahabharata'. This brilliant work is an awesome reproduction retaining the quality and standards of first art. Don’t this picture bring the scene before us?

Malabar Lady
(Oil painting on canvas - Displayed at Sri Jayachama Rajendra Art Gallery, Jaganmohan Palace, Mysore, Karnataka)

 

Raja Ravi Varma is often criticized for the traditionalism and Indian culture that he floods-with in his illustrations. The imagination he has for an imaginary scene or myth or whatever you call is fantastic and awesome. But I wonder how people could pass negative comments on such wonderful art collection. These paintings very well showcase his love for colors and beauty. The Raja was an admirer of beauty and that made him highlight women in his work, foremost.

wonder is our birth, as a child, as a parent, as a guide, and finally as a memory