Raja Ravi Varma

29 April 1848 – 2 October 1906

Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was an Indian painter from the princely state of Travancore who fused European academic techniques with Indian subjects, especially scenes from the Hindu epics. Through his oleograph printing press, his images of deities reached millions of Indian homes and shaped popular religious iconography.

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Life events

Born in Kilimanoor, Travancore
29 April 1848

Ravi Varma was born into an aristocratic family at Kilimanoor Palace in the kingdom of Travancore, in present-day Kerala.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Began artistic training under royal patronage in Thiruvananthapuram
1862

At about age 14 he moved to the Travancore court, where he was patronized by Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal and studied painting, later learning oil technique from artists at the court.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Bhageerthi Bayi of the Mavelikkara royal house
1866

Ravi Varma married Pururuttathi Nal Bhageerathi Bayi Thampuratty of Mavelikkara, with whom he had five children.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Won an award at the Vienna international exhibition
1873

Ravi Varma's painting won a certificate of merit at the 1873 Vienna exhibition, bringing him international recognition after earlier success at the Madras Fine Arts Exhibition.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Toured India painting portraits and epic subjects
c. 1880 – c. 1890

In the 1880s Ravi Varma traveled widely across India with his brother Raja Varma, painting portraits of rulers and dignitaries and scenes from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, including a celebrated commission for the Gaekwad of Baroda.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Founded the Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press in Bombay
1894

He established a lithographic printing press to mass-produce oleographs of his paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses, making his imagery accessible to ordinary people.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Press relocated to Malavli near Lonavala
1899

The lithographic press was moved from Bombay to Malavli in the hills near Lonavala; it was later sold to his German printing technician Fritz Schleicher.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal
1904

The British colonial government honored Ravi Varma with the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal for his services to art.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died at Attingal, Travancore
2 October 1906

Raja Ravi Varma died of diabetes-related illness at the age of 58 near Kilimanoor.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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