Published at the Ravi Varma Press, Malavli, Lonavla
by Raja Ravi Varma
chromolithograph with fabric appliqué
Shiva, Parvati & Ganesha are seated on a lion throne with Shiva’s caparisoned vahana Nandin seated under them. Shiva is known as the “destroyer and the transformer.” His wife Parvati, is the Hindu goddess of fertility, love and devotion; as well as of divine strength and power. Ganesha is widely revered as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences and the deva of intellect and wisdom.
Ravi Varma occupies an important place in Indian art history. He developed a painting style that appropriated the illusionary techniques of European oil painting with traditional Indian subject matter. The popularity of Ravi Varma’s paintings gave him the idea to make oleographs that would be available to the general public, instead of only elite patrons. Oleographs, also called chromolithographs, are multi-colour art prints, stemming from the process of lithography.
These immensely popular chromolithographs 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.
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)
