Modern Indian Art
15th - 16th Oct, 2016
Winning Bid
This lot is a National Art Treasure - Non Exportable Item (payment only in Indian Rupees)
This lot is a registered antique with the Government of India, under
the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act -1972, under Antiquities and
Art Treasures Rule 1973, under section 16 of the above act.
Exemplar used for oleograph production
Published : Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial India by Rupika Chawla,
pg.218
Provenance : Private Delhi based collection.
Height of the figure - 6ft
Varma was born on 29 April 1848 in Attingal, Travancore, (now Tamil Nadu). Varma painted portraits that featured royalty, women, gods and goddesses, themes that appealed to the elite and later attracted the masses. His famous oleographs of mythological scenes from epic Indian mythology especially the Ramayana and Mahabharata. His works portray sari clad Indian women in graceful spiritual manner which became an important motif for the time. He skilfully bought together Indian traditions along with European academics in art. He was influenced from his many travels around the Gujarat State. Varma is one of our master painters, a national treasure as well as an influence to many artists over the years.
Varma lived and passed away on 5th October in 1906.