RAJA RAVI VARMA: THE FATHER OF MODERN INDIAN ART

Why In News?

Raja Ravi Varma’s ‘Yashoda and Krishna’ set a new record for modern Indian art by fetching ₹167.2 crore at auction.  

About Raja Ravi Varma

Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) is widely regarded as the "Father of Modern Indian Art." 

He is credited with bridging the gap between traditional Indian iconography and Western academic realism. 

His work fundamentally changed how Indian deities and mythological characters were visualized, creating a pan-Indian visual language that persists to this day.

Early Life & Royal Patronage

Birth: Born in Kilimanoor Palace, Travancore (present-day Kerala), into an aristocratic family.

Training: He received early patronage from Ayilyam Thirunal, the Maharaja of Travancore. 

• He learned watercolor techniques from the palace painter Ramaswamy Naidu and later mastered oil painting by observing the Dutch painter Theodore Jenson.

Painting Style 

Technique: He was one of the first Indian artists to master oil painting and lithography. 

• He utilized "Academic Realism," employing European methods of perspective, composition, and chiaroscuro (play of light and shadow) to create three-dimensional, life-like figures.

Subject Matter: While the technique was Western, the soul of his work was deeply Indian. He focused heavily on Hindu mythology (Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana) and portraits of Indian royalty.

Lithographic Revolution & Democratization of Art

The Press: In 1894, he established the Raja Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press in Mumbai (later shifted to Lonavala).

Impact: Before this, art was the exclusive domain of the wealthy upper class and royalty. His press mass-produced oleographs (chromolithographs) of Hindu gods and goddesses.

Social Change: These affordable prints brought deities like Lakshmi and Saraswati into the homes of ordinary people, bypassing caste and class barriers that restricted entry to temples. This played a powerful role in unifying the Hindu community's visual identity.

Major Works 

Shakuntala: Depicts Shakuntala pretending to remove a thorn from her foot to look back at King Dushyanta.

Hamsa Damayanti: Damayanti conversing with a swan (messenger) about Nala.

Galaxy of Musicians: A group of Indian women from diverse backgrounds playing instruments, symbolizing the "Unity in Diversity" of India.

Jatayu Vadham: The dramatic scene of the vulture King Jatayu fighting Ravana to save Sita.

Lady in the Moonlight: Highlighted his mastery over lighting and shadow.

There Comes Papa: A portrait of his daughter Mahaprabha, noted for its domestic realism.

Contribution to Nationalism 

National Icon: In 1904, the British Colonial Government awarded him the Kaiser-i-Hind Gold Medal for his contribution to the arts.

Criticism

The "Calendar Art" Critique: While popular, his work faced severe criticism from the Bengal School of Art (led by Abanindranath Tagore and Nandalal Bose). 

• They argued that Varma's realistic, Westernized style was "imitative" and lacked the spiritual depth of traditional Indian art (like Ajanta or Mughal miniatures). 
• They viewed his "materialistic" depiction of deities as a corruption of Indian aesthetic values.

Legacy

Cinema: His dramatic framing and visualization of mythological stories heavily influenced Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, who worked at Varma's press before making movies.

Modern Recognition: In 2013, a crater on the planet Mercury was named "Varma" in his honor by the International Astronomical Union.

Source: BBC