Ravi Varma was born on 29 April 1848 in Kilimanoor, Travancore (now Tamil Nadu). Ravi 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 a graceful, spiritual manner, which became an important motif for the time. He skilfully brought together Indian traditions along with European academics in art. He was influenced by his many travels around India. Raja Ravi Varma is one of our master painters, a national treasure as well as an influence on many artists over the years. He passed away on 2nd October 1906.