Contents
Raja Ravi Varma
Giving Indian mythological figures widely circulated painted and printed forms.
Shakuntala · Hamsa Damayanti
- Born
- 29 April 1848
- Birthplace
- Kilimanoor, present-day Kerala, India
- Died
- 2 October 1906
More people
Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma was an Indian painter who combined European academic techniques with subjects from Indian literature and mythology.
Early life
Kilimanoor upbringing
Grew up within an aristocratic household in Travancore.
Artistic training
Learned painting through court connections and professional artists.
Career
- 1860s–1870s
Portrait painter
Developed his career through commissions and exhibitions.
- 1880s
Mythological painting
Produced major narrative works for patrons.
- 1890s
Print enterprise
Established a press to reproduce paintings for a wider market.
Selected work
Shakuntala
Depicted the literary heroine looking back at her beloved.
Hamsa Damayanti
Painted Damayanti listening to the swan’s message.
Oleographs
Prints spread his images far beyond elite collections.
Beyond work
Family
Married Bhageerathi Bayi of the Mavelikara royal family.
Visual legacy
His printed images influenced calendars, devotional pictures and popular culture.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Bhawani Ram. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
