Raja Ravi Varma was one the greatest Indian painters in 19th century. He was from the princely state of Travancore. His paintings are perfect example of the fusion of Indian traditions with the techniques of European academic art. He is mainly remembered for his paintings of beautiful sari-clad Indian women. In 1873, he won the first prize in the Vienna Art Exhibition. This award brought him world-wide recognition. He travelled throughout India in search of subjects for his paintings. He often modeled Hindu Goddesses on beautiful South Indian women. He achieved recognition from the paintings on the epics of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. He is particularly noted for his paintings depicting episodes from the story of Dushyanta and Shakuntala, and Nala and Damayanti, from the Mahabharata. His representation of mythological characters became very popular in India and abroad.
Famous paintings of Raja Ravi Varma —
- Village Belle
- Lady Lost in Thought
- Damayanti Talking to a Swan
- The Orchestra
- Arjuna and Subhadra
- Lady with lamp
- The broken
- Swarbat Player
- Shakuntala
- Lord Krishna as Ambassador
- Jatayu, a bird devotee of Lord Rama is mauled by Ravana
- Victory of Indrajit
- A Family of Beggars
- A Lady Playing Swarbat
- Lady Giving Alms at the Temple
- Lord Rama Conquers Varuna
- Nair Woman
- Romancing Couple
- Draupadi Dreading to Meet Kichaka
- Shantanu and Matsyagandha
- Shakuntala Composing a Love Letter to King Dushyanta
- Girl in Sage Kanwa’s Hermitage (Rishi-Kanya)
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