Raja Ravi Varma
Raja Ravi Varma | |
|---|---|
Varma in the 1890s | |
| Born | 29 April 1848 |
| Died | 2 October 1906 (aged 58) Attingal, Travancore, British Raj |
| Other names | Koil Thampuran of Kilimanoor, Ravi Varma Koil Thampuran |
| Alma mater | University College Thiruvananthapuram |
| Occupations | painter, artist |
| Notable work | |
| Spouse | Pooruruttathi Thirunal Bhageerthi Thampuratti |
| Awards | Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal |
| Signature | |
Raja Ravi Varma (Malayalam: [rajaː ravi varma(ː)ɐ]) (29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906) was an Indian painter. His works are one of the best examples of the fusion of European academic art with a purely Indian sensibility and iconography. He greatly enhanced his reach and influence as a painter and public figure by making affordable lithographs of his paintings available to the public. His lithographs increased the involvement of common people with fine arts and defined artistic tastes. Furthermore, his religious depictions of Hindu deities and works from Indian epic poetry and Puranas have received critical acclaim. He was part of the royal family of Parappanad, Malappuram district.
Raja Ravi Varma was closely related to the royal family of Travancore of present-day Kerala state in India. Later in his life, two of his granddaughters were adopted into the royal family.