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INTRODUCTION
Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) remains one of the most celebrated painters in Indian history, a pioneer who gave visual form to myths, epics, and timeless cultural ideals. Often called the “father of modern Indian art,” he bridged two worlds — the classical grandeur of Hindu mythology and the realism of European academic painting.
His brush did not merely create beautiful images; it shaped how generations came to imagine gods, goddesses, and epic heroes.
Varma’s art is remembered especially for his mythological paintings, where epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana come alive with emotional depth and visual clarity. His ability to find models, his use of color, and his mastery of detail elevated his work beyond simple narrative.
Today, his paintings are preserved in museums, private collections, and temples of memory, commanding high values at auctions and continuing to inspire artists across media.
This essay explores the art of Raja Ravi Varma through his celebrated paintings, analyzing the myths behind them, his staging of models, his choice of colors, and the reasons they continue to endure.
Ravi Varma’s Approach: Models, Colors, and Themes
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| Bharat Milap, Meeting of Rama with Bharat Raja Ravi Varma, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Before turning to specific works, it is important to understand his method. Unlike traditional Indian painters who relied on stylized depictions, Ravi Varma sought realism.
He often drew upon family members, courtesans, aristocrats, and theatre actors as models, adapting their gestures and physiques into divine and heroic figures.
His color palette was carefully chosen to balance naturalism with symbolism: lotus pinks and deep reds for auspiciousness, whites and creams for purity, emerald and blue for serenity, and golden glows for divinity.
Light, in his paintings, was never arbitrary; it fell strategically on a cheek, a jewel, or a folded hand, imbuing the scene with spiritual weight.
Thematically, his works spanned:
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Mythology and epic romance (Damayanti and the Swan, Shakuntala).
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Gods and goddesses (Lakshmi, Saraswati, Krishna).
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Moral dramas (Harishchandra and Taramati).
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Everyday domesticity (There Comes Papa).
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Cultural unity (Galaxy of Musicians).
Through these themes, Ravi Varma humanized the divine while elevating the human — a dual achievement that secured his place in history.
Masterpieces of Raja Ravi Varma
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1) Damayanti and the Swan
One of Ravi Varma’s most poetic works depicts Princess Damayanti listening to a celestial swan who praises King Nala. In the Mahabharata, this moment sets in motion a romance that transcends sight, as Damayanti falls in love through words alone.
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Staging & models: Damayanti is shown leaning gently toward the swan, her head inclined as if lost in a secret. Likely modeled on a noblewoman or family member, her pose carries aristocratic elegance and the intimacy of private confession.
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Color & light: Rose-gold tones of skin, reds and creams in the sari, and a tender green-brown landscape create harmony. Light pools softly on her cheek and the bird’s wings, casting an unspoken halo.
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Why it endures: This painting captures the essence of unseen love — the belief in a bond before it manifests. It also exemplifies Ravi Varma’s realism, transforming myth into a tangible, emotional moment.
2) Shakuntala Looking Back
Perhaps the most iconic of Ravi Varma’s works, Shakuntala is caught pretending to remove a thorn from her foot while secretly looking back at her lover, King Dushyanta.
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Staging & models: Shakuntala’s coy twist is both believable and graceful. Her companions exchange knowing glances, making the scene layered with complicity. Ravi Varma’s model may have been an actress, whose expressive eyes and posture lend theatrical charm.
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Color & light: The sunlit forest glows in greens and olives, while Shakuntala’s sari drifts in creamy sandalwood tones. Subtle light glances off her jewelry, emphasizing her shy radiance.
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Why it endures: The image feels like a cinematic still, decades before cinema. It is a snapshot of wit, romance, and longing, instantly understood by viewers.
3) Lakshmi
Ravi Varma’s portrayal of Goddess Lakshmi became the most definitive image of wealth and prosperity in Indian households.
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Staging & models: Lakshmi stands serenely on a lotus, gaze calm and frontal, flanked by elephants in some versions. The realism of her anatomy contrasts with the divine aura of her presence.
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Color & light: Lotus pinks, radiant golds, and deep red for her sari make the palette auspicious. A twilight blue background accentuates her luminous glow.
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Why it endures: This image of Lakshmi became a household shrine across India. Through prints and reproductions, Ravi Varma democratized devotion, allowing every family to worship her in familiar form.
4) Saraswati
The goddess of knowledge is shown seated with a veena, embodying clarity and grace.
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Staging & models: Saraswati’s posture is that of a true musician, anatomically accurate and serene. The white sari with golden border reflects simplicity and divinity.
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Color & light: Dominated by ivory and cream, accented by the warm wood of the veena, with pale skies or riverbanks suggesting wisdom’s clarity.
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Why it endures: Ravi Varma’s Saraswati set the visual template for generations of devotional imagery. Students, teachers, and artists continue to revere this form as the embodiment of learning.
5) There Comes Papa
A painting of domestic anticipation, There Comes Papa shows a mother and child waiting for the father’s arrival.
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Staging & models: Modeled on Ravi Varma’s family, the painting captures authenticity in the woman’s drape, the toddler’s eager reach, and the tilt of her head toward the doorway.
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Color & light: The soft glow of an interior contrasts with the brighter threshold outside. Creams, muted reds, and earthy browns dominate the palette.
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Why it endures: This painting grounds Ravi Varma’s mythological imagination in everyday life. It demonstrates his sensitivity to human bonds beyond divine narratives.
6) Galaxy of Musicians
This work celebrates India’s cultural plurality, portraying women from various regions holding instruments.
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Staging & models: Each woman is both a portrait and a type — meticulously observed costumes, ornaments, and instruments lend authenticity.
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Color & light: Every sari has its own hue — indigo, turmeric, crimson, green — harmonized under warm light. The instruments shine with detailed modeling.
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Why it endures: It is both a cultural document and a visual anthem of unity in diversity. Through this canvas, Ravi Varma celebrated India’s composite identity.
7) Arjuna and Subhadra
A private yet pivotal moment from the Mahabharata is given form in this painting of Arjuna and Subhadra.
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Staging & models: Rather than spectacle, Ravi Varma highlights intimacy — the lovers’ exchanged glances and subtle gestures carry epic weight.
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Color & light: Jewel-toned silks and controlled highlights on ornaments create richness. A balanced architectural background frames the pair.
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Why it endures: It humanizes a dynastic union, reminding viewers that love lies at the heart of epic destiny.
8) Harishchandra and Taramati
The moral drama of King Harishchandra is vividly rendered in his trials at the cremation ground.
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Staging & models: Emaciated yet dignified, Harishchandra and his wife Taramati embody virtue amid suffering. Ravi Varma drew upon real human expressions rather than stylized gestures.
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Color & light: Ash greys and earth tones dominate, while small embers of fire suggest inner truth.
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Why it endures: It turns ethical ideals into visible human endurance, moving viewers beyond recitation into empathy.
9) Sita in Captivity
Ravi Varma’s Sita in Ashoka Vatika reveals quiet resilience.
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Staging & models: Sita’s downcast eyes, folded posture, and measured dignity suggest inner strength. The surrounding grove is lush yet melancholy.
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Color & light: Greens and tender golds dominate, with white blossoms lending calm.
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Why it endures: It gives Sita psychological depth, presenting her not only as abducted queen but as a woman of faith and patience.
10) Krishna as the Butter Thief
The child-god Krishna appears in his most beloved form: mischievous butter thief.
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Staging & models: The plump limbs, alert eyes, and domestic setting make the divine child approachable.
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Color & light: Peacock blues and leaf greens enrich the creamy whites of butter, creating a joyous palette.
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Why it endures: It captures affection more than awe, allowing families to embrace Krishna as their own playful child.
Where Ravi Varma’s Paintings Live Today
Ravi Varma’s originals are preserved in royal collections, museums, and galleries across India and abroad. Some of the most notable repositories include:
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The Lakshmi Vilas Palace (Baroda): Houses a significant collection of his mythological works.
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Sri Chitra Art Gallery (Thiruvananthapuram): Displays several key paintings and oleographs.
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Private collections: Many of his works remain with aristocratic families and collectors.
At global auctions, Ravi Varma’s paintings fetch extraordinary prices, sometimes crossing several crores of rupees. This reflects not just monetary value but cultural significance, as collectors vie for pieces of Indian visual history.
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Why Raja Ravi Varma Endures
Ravi Varma’s enduring appeal rests on three pillars:
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Myth as Emotion: He made epic tales emotionally accessible, painting gods as figures of human longing, tenderness, and dignity.
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Realism with Divinity: His use of real models and academic realism created images both believable and reverent.
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Democratization through Prints: His lithographic press allowed mass reproduction of his works, bringing goddesses like Lakshmi and Saraswati into millions of homes.
Through these contributions, Ravi Varma became more than an artist. He became a narrator of India’s collective imagination.
Conclusion
The art of Raja Ravi Varma stands as a bridge between the mythic and the modern, between epic grandeur and human intimacy. From Damayanti’s listening to Krishna’s butter theft, from Lakshmi’s divine glow to There Comes Papa’s domestic tenderness, his works reveal a painter who understood both devotion and affection, ethics and aesthetics.
His choice of models gave gods human form; his colors gave emotions symbolic power; his compositions made myths feel like lived realities. Today, whether preserved in palaces, museums, or homes, his paintings remain among the most recognizable images in India.
Ravi Varma’s legacy is not only that he painted myths — it is that he taught us to see them as our own stories, alive in human gestures, family bonds, and the radiance of color.
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