Published at the Ravi Varma Press, Malavli, Lonavla
by C.G. Ramanujam
chromolithograph with fabric appliqué
The infant Krishna is shown seated on a the jewelled throne with his his right hand holding a ball of butter and his left around a butter pot. As always Krishna is as a chubby child, part of his hair tied in a topknot adorned by jewels and the characteristic peacock feather. He is flanked by an attendant who is waving a peacock feather fan on his right. On his left stand his foster parents Nanda, holding a parrot and Yashoda who is ready to hand him another ball of butter.
Oleographs, also called chromolithographs, are multi-colour art prints, stemming from the process of lithography. These immensely popular oleographs from the Ravi Varma press quickly set a new iconographical standard for the traditional Indian heroes and deities. Often the figures were embellished with embroidered sequins and other decorative material, creating vibrant pulsating images. After Ravi Varma was forced to sell the press along with the reproduction rights in 1901, the press began producing work by other contemporaries of Ravi Varma including C.G. Ramanujam, producing equally vibrant work with new themes and subjects. The influence of the oleographs from this press is still felt strongly in modern Indian popular art forms such as calendar art.
Image Size (cms): 49.5 (H) x 34.5 (W)
Image Size (inches): 19.5 (H) x 13.6 (W)
Framed Size (cms): 62 (H) x 48.5 (W)
Framed Size (inches): 24.5 (H) x 19 (W)
