Ahalya, one of the most tragic characters in Indian mythology has been a subject of several serious debates. When Brahma created her as the most beautiful woman no one would have predicted how agonising her future life would be. The tragic story of ‘Ahalya’ and Indra’s lust and subsequent revenge appears in the Valmiki Ramayana. Married to the great sage and a much older Gautama, Ahalya’s story has been recounted over and over again due the epic proportions of hardships, sacrifice and spousal devotion. A princess of the Puru dynasty, Ahalya, was seduced by Indra by treachery, was cursed by her husband to turn into a stone. Indra was besotted by Ahalya’s beauty and was intent on seeking her companionship. So, Indra disguised himself as Gautama and Ahalya allowed Indra into her home. Several texts narrate her ordeal of how the king of gods, Indra, came disguised as her husband, and Ahalya accepted his advances falling prey to Indra's trickery. Later when Gautama arrived and saw Ahalaya and Indra, he cursed both of them possibly reserving the harsher one for his wife. In all the popular retellings developed over time, Ahalya was cursed to become a stone and regained her human form after she was brushed by Lord Rama's foot. As she was eventually brought back to life by Lord Rama who was on his way to Janakpuri for Sita’s Swayamvar, Ahalya was said to have attained moksha (liberated from the cycle of rebirth). With a god like Rama, appearing as the eventual agent of her liberation and redemption, Ahalya was never regarded as an adultress but always a pious woman of divine birth who remained dedicated to her husband’s wishes both before and after being cursed. Like Shakuntala nad Damayanti, Ahalya too reappeared in Raja Ravi Varma’s oeuvre as one of his several Nayikas or heroine with her story and different moments of her life retold again and again. Printed at the Ravi Varma Press Picture Depot, this oleograph portrays Ahalya in a forest possibly near to Gautama’s hermitage. Two different versions of Ahalya’s story were adapted into lithographic prints in the Ravi Varma Press. In this first depiction, Ahalya is dressed in a white saree and seen in the forest with a basket of flowers in her hand. As she blissfully looks directly at her viewers one is made aware of her naivety and innocence as she stands amidst wilderness. The white represents a virtuous and pious woman, and the forest serves as an idyllic setting for Ahalya whose life was about to be turned upside down. In one of the other oleographs titled Ahalya Shaap Vimochan or Ahilyodhar (The Release of Ahalya) (c. 1910). Ahalya can be seen bowing in front of Lord Rama with folded hands after being brought back to life. Along with Rama we also see the great saint Vishwamitra and Rama’s sibline Lakshmana. The landscape around Ahalya has now changed drastically. However, it is the other oleograph called Ahalya Indravalokan (c. 1910), that marks the beginning of the torturous chapter in Ahalya’s story. Here we see Ahalya carrying a basket of flowers and plucking flowers off a tree in her garden and Indra appears far in the background flying on a horse styled like a unicorn called an Uchchaihshravas. Often glorified as the first of the Panchakanya (lit. ‘five virgins’) Ahalya is considered an epitome of feminine purity. Other than Ahalya, the Panchakanya group includes Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari, extolled as archetypes of female chastity whose names are believed to dispel sin when recited. Unlike other Ravi Varma heroines, Ahalya is both simplicity and modesty personified. Her quiet strength and tenacity is palpable in the way she holds the gaze of the onlooker. Full clothed with her hair untied, the slightly bashful Ahalya’s boldness differs from that of a Mohini or Shakuntala, as we see here a married woman who is aware of her beauty but is aware of her role as a wife and the sheer strength of her character. Ravi Varma, Hamsa Damayanti Samvad, Ravi Varma Press Picture Depot Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Ravi Varma, Ahalya Shaap Vimochan (The Release of Ahalya), Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: www.columbia.edu Ravi Varma Press, Ahalya Indravalokan, Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons RtistiQ brings to you the Raja Ravi Varma Phygital NFT art auction that will be held between the 28th- 31st July’22. Don’t miss out and collect them all by clicking here. https://art.rtistiq.com/en/auction/raja-ravi-varma-nft-drop2/lots

RtistiQ

24 Jul 2022

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Raja Ravi Varma was a distinguished and prolific artist of the 19th century, who has carved a name for himself, in the European school of Indian artists. The painter prince, as he is popularly known, Ravi Varma was one of the first Indian artists of his time to master the Western painting techniques and successfully translate them into the Indian scenario. His visual interpretation of Indian mythologies using European painting techniques, made him a much sought-after artist of his era. He hailed from the village of Kilimanoor, in the former state of Travancore in Kerala and was of an aristocratic lineage. Having exhibited his artistic prowess from a very young age, he succeeded in attaining the patronage of Ayilyam Thirunal, the then Maharaja of Travancore. Later he was under the tutelage of the British painter Theodore Jenson, from whom he mastered the art of oil painting. His portraits featuring royals and eminent personalities of the time were much sought after, earning him commissions all over the country. The press Ravi Varma’s contribution to the art world has been nothing short of revolutionary. With his modern realism techniques, which depicted Gods and Goddesses and scenes from epics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha in a realistic way, he managed to capture the imagination of the whole country. This included the Dalits who were prohibited from entering temples at that time. His paintings also earned him the accolades of an international audience. Along with being a talented artist, Ravi Varma was also a great visionary, who helped shine the spotlight on his talented fellow artists and paved the way for their success. His dream was to make art accessible to the common man and not limit it to the cream of society. This led to the establishment of his lithographic press, to make reproductions of his work for the layman to enjoy. In the year 1894, the eponymous lithographic press was started by Ravi Varma, in Mumbai. This was managed by his brother Raja Varma, before being taken over by a German company. The lithograph This featured lithograph titled ‘Madri’ is based on the original oil painting by Ravi Varma titled ‘Maharashtrian lady with fruit’. This colossal, original oil work is now a part of the collection of the Travancore royal family, in Trivandrum. Madri is a character from the world-renowned epic, Mahabharatha. She is the second wife of Pandu, the father of the Pandava princes and mother to Nakul and Sahadeva. But the original painting does not suggest a connection to the mythological character in any way. Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru The subject of the lithograph is a beautiful lady dressed in a traditional Maharashtrian sari of luscious crimson silk, holding a plate of fruit. The fact that the identity of the exemplar remains unknown, casts an aura of intrigue on the painting. Ravi Varma was known to have travelled extensively in search of the right subjects, for his portraits. Like in most of his paintings, the mystery lady in this painting too, has large, beautiful, expressive eyes, which was often a benchmark for beauty in ancient Indian culture. The picture itself is vibrant, showing off the beauty and richness of the lady’s jewel toned sari and the exquisite detailing of her jewellery. She looks directly at the viewer, exuding a rare sense of confidence and power. The plate of fruit suggests a European influence in his still life paintings. Fruits have been traditionally used as a symbol for fertility and manages to subtly imbue, a sense of sensuality to the female subject. This painting is a classic ode to Ravi Varma’s unparalleled skills in mixing colors, so that it lends an almost real-life quality to the skin color and clothes of his subjects. Ravi Varma’s triumph as an artist, lies in his unique flair for capturing a ‘slice of life’ and transferring it to his paintings, by the skillful play of light and shadows, manipulation of colors and his emotive subjects. These factors create a mood which mimics real life to such a degree, that the viewers can almost visualize the subject stepping out of the painting. For instance, if we compare ‘Madri’ to his other famous painting, titled ‘Stolen interview’ (also known as ‘Hesitation’), they provide a study in contrasts. ‘Stolen interview’ depicts a couple, who appear to be lovers, engaged in what the title suggests - a stolen interview. The lady in the painting is modestly dressed and plucking at a rose, which has been apparently gifted by her paramour. Her gaze is lowered, and she appears to be coy and bashful. Her body language seems to suggest that she is nervous and excited in equal parts. The man’s expression is one of subtle passion, as he gazes nervously at his beloved. Flowers feature in many of Ravi Varma’s paintings and in this painting, it is symbolic of love. While the whole mood of this painting conveys a sense of romantic tension, the mood in ‘Madri’, speaks of a woman, who is very much comfortable in her skin and her bold direct gaze and body language is proof of this fact. She exudes a sense of subtle sensuality, while still maintaining a sense of decorum. Why Rtistiq is having an auction Ravi Varma’s oleographs of Indian divinities, still grace the homes and shrines of people and are collected for posterity. His work continues to influence lives even a century later, in subtle ways. His prints can be seen on calendars, posters, religious prints, jewelry, and textiles. It is enjoyed and revered by people all over the world. In 1979, the Indian government declared Ravi Varma paintings a national treasure and banned exports of the same. Most of his work is exhibited in museums or owned by private collectors. The rarity with which these paintings come for sales and auctions as well as their sheer exclusivity, make them a high-value investment. This auction is important as it gives the buyer the distinctive chance to own a rare piece of painting, that has captured the imagination of people, the world over. The fact that these prints are extremely rare to come by makes them a unique collector’s item. RtistiQ brings to you the Raja Ravi Varma Phygital NFT art auction that will be held between the 28th- 31st July’22. Don’t miss out and collect them all by clicking here. https://art.rtistiq.com/en/auction/raja-ravi-varma-nft-drop2/lots

RtistiQ

20 Jul 2022

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For someone brought up in an Indian household, mythological stories from epics, holy texts, folklore and oral culture have been an integral part of our lives. Indian mythic lore is replete with fantasies, mysteries, heart-tugging love stories, tales of valour, sublime tragedies, observational humour and much more… Raja Ravi Varma, an artist ahead of his time reimagined several such mythical episodes and breathed new life into them in his inimitable style. It was for the first time that these gods, demigods and fantastical characters were transported from the temple walls to canvases and lithographic prints. These representations bearing these fascinating men and women remain imprinted in the popular imagination. This particular oleograph titled Hamsa Damayanti Samvad, tells the epic tale of Raja Ravi Varma’s most inspirational character, ‘Damayanti’, who appears in the Mahabharata. Damayanti was the daughter of the Yadava King, Bhima, the ruler of Vidarbha. She is said to be possessed of such beauty that even the Gods wanted to marry her. As it happened, the hero or the Nayaka of the story, was the king of Nishadha. Though a valiant warrior and a noble king, Nala was still unmarried. One day a brahmin (a priest) visited his court and on learning of his bachelor status, he suggested Damayanti’s name. At Nala’s insistence, the brahmin painted an image of the princess and on seeing the painting Nala fell in love with Damyanti. Then, one day, Nala caught a beautiful divine swan having the ability to speak with humans. Nala agreed to free it only after the swan vowed to fly to Damayanti and sing praises of Nala before the princess. As per the story, the swan came to Damayanti’s palace extolled King Nala’s virtues and similarly told him of Damayanti’s extraordinary beauty. And from here commenced the eternal love story of Nala and Damayanti. With the messages of love being carried to and fro by the swan, Nala and Damyanti are drawn toward each other despite being miles away from each other. In this oleograph, Damayanti, who is eagerly waiting to hear from the swan is immensely relieved as the swan swoops in while she waits with bated breath to hear about her beloved Nala. Later, how Damayanti and Nala meet and eventually get married is a fascinating story that deserves an individual piece of text. Ravi Varma, Hamsa Damayanti Samvad, Ravi Varma Press Picture Depot, 1928 Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Raja Ravi Varma immortalized the moment when Damayanti meets the swan in Hamsa Damayanti Samvad translated to the 'Meeting of Damayanti and the Swan'. Draped in red and green silk saree bordered with gold brocade, Damayanti is modesty personified but she is unable to disguise the eagerness with which she looks at the swan fly back to Nala after she has conversed with the bird. Standing amidst the lush palace gardens, a few lotus petals and leaves are strewn at her feet, possibly mutilated while she waited for the swan to visit her. The image continues the story of Hamsa and Damyanti, the subject of a famous Raja Ravi Varma painting called Hamsa Damayanti (1899). The painting shows Damayanti earnestly listening to the swan as he narrates Nala’s praises. The swan sits on an ornate pillar in the lotus pond and Damayanti listens to the divine being. This oleograph continues this compositional narrative where we see Damayanti sending the swan back to Nala carrying her message. There are noticeable changes in the oleograph as Damayanti wears a slightly different saree and blouse, her jewellery and hairstyle, and the landscape in the background appear slightly different as well. The swan on its part sports a distinctive yellow plume on its head in the oleograph. Raja Ravi Varma, Hamsa Damyanti, 1899, Oil on canvas Collection: Sree Chitra Gallery, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons In all this, the genius of Raja Ravi Varma is quite discerning as he effortlessly transmorphed the text into an image. The brilliance of this small encounter between the princess and the divine swan mentioned in Mahabharata and Naishadha Charita was hard to imagine till Ravi Varma gave us the visual depiction of the scene. Now, we know who is Damayanti, we know how her and Nala’s eternal love story took off, we are made aware of her beauty, her emotions, her eagerness, and all in all we are witness to this fantastical encounter between her and the talking swan. And, like Damayanti, Raja Ravi Varma brought to life many other Nayikas and their stories that were hidden inside the tomes, as sometimes we tend to skip over mortals in our pursuit of God. RtistiQ brings to you the RajaRavi Varma Phygital NFT art auction that will be held between the 28th- 31st July’22. Don’t miss out and collect them all by clicking here. https://art.rtistiq.com/en/auction/raja-ravi-varma-nft-drop2/lots

RtistiQ

18 Jul 2022

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AboutRRV and his fascination for the art form Raja Ravi Varma, who is often referred to as the father of Modern Indian art, was a prolific artist of the 19th century, and a distinguished name in the European school of Indian artists. The painter prince, as he is popularly known, Ravi Varma was one of the first Indian artists of his time to master the Western painting techniques and successfully translate them into the Indian scenario. His visual interpretation of Indian mythologies using European painting techniques made him a much sought-after artist of his era. He was of an aristocratic lineage, hailing from Kilimanoor, in the former state of Travancore in Kerala. Having exhibited his artistic prowess from a very young age, he succeeded in attaining the patronage of Ayilyam Thirunal, the then Maharaja of Travancore. Later he was under the tutelage of the British painter Theodore Jenson, from whom he mastered the art of oil painting. His portraits featuring royals and eminent personalities of the time were much sought after, earning him commissions all over the country. The press Ravi Varma was revolutionary in his contribution to the art world. His realistic depictions Gods and goddess and scenes from epics like Ramayana and Mahabharatha, captivated and fascinated the country, (especially the Dalits who were prohibited from entering the temples at that time) as well as an international audience. Along with being a talented artist, Ravi Varma was also a great visionary, who helped shine the spotlight on his talented fellow artists and paved the way for their success. His dream was to make art accessible to the common man and not limit it to just the cream of society. This led to the establishment of his lithographic press, to make reproductions of his work for the layman to enjoy. In the year 1894, the eponymous lithographic press was started by Ravi Varma, in Mumbai. This was managed by his brother Raja Varma, before being taken over by a German company. The lithograph This lithograph of the painting titled ‘Chitralekha,’ depicts a scene from the epic Bhagavata Purana. Princess Usha draped in a yellow saree, sifts through the numerous paintings made by her friend Chitralekha. She tries to identify the prince who has tormented her dreams and stolen her heart. Usha gasps with pleasure as Chitralekha finally shows her Aniruddha’s picture. He is the grandson of the Vaishnava deity Krishna, whose portrait is seen on the table in the lithograph. Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru The beauty of Ravi Varma’s paintings lies in the fact that the artist has reimagined the mythological stories, which are deeply enmeshed in the psyche of the people. Through his modern realism techniques, he has depicted his characters with emotive faces, bestowing them with humaneness and almost palpable emotions. His masterful combination of style, color, and emotions has created masterpieces that make many scenes from epics, come alive in the minds of the viewers. Raja Ravi Varma’s artistic genius lies in his masterful blending of light and shadows and his mastery over the use of colors. This seems to add a sense of depth to his paintings and often highlights the emotions of the characters in his work. For example, if we compare ‘Chitralekha’ with another of his painting titled ‘Disappointment’, the contrasting emotions the two paintings depict are apparent. In ‘Disappointment’, the longing in the subject’s eyes, along with her body language and the mood of the painting evokes a sense of loss and grief. In Chitralekha, the perceived angle of light, the mood, and the emotive subject convey apparent jubilation on having identified the object of the heroine’s affection. Why Rtistiq is having an auction? Ravi Varma’s oleographs of Indian divinities, still grace the homes and shrines of people and are collected for posterity. His work continues to influence our lives even a century later, in subtle ways. His prints can be seen on calendars, posters, religious prints, jewelry, and textiles, enjoyed, and revered by people all over the world. In 1979, the Indian government declared Ravi Varma paintings a national treasure and banned exports of the same. Most of his work is exhibited in museums or owned by private collectors. The rarity with which these paintings come for sales and auctions and their sheer exclusivity, make them a high-value investment. This auction is important as it gives the buyer the distinctive chance to own a rare piece of painting, that has captured the imagination of people, the world over. The fact that these prints are extremely rare to come by makes them a unique collector’s item. RtistiQ brings to you the Raja Ravi Varma Phygital NFT art auction that will be held between the 28th- 31st July’22. Don’t miss out and collect them all by clicking here. https://art.rtistiq.com/en/auction/raja-ravi-varma-nft-drop2/lots

RtistiQ

17 Jul 2022

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Raja Ravi Varma, the pioneering 19th-century artist is credited with many firsts - the first artist to use oil as a medium, one of the earliest Indian artists to have been exhibited abroad, rendering Indian subjects in the western academic style, and opening the nation’s first lithographic printing press. Along with these many feats, Ravi Varma gave us the “ideal Indian woman” and thus came to life goddesses, nymphs, queens, and so many other feisty women. Amongst his many avatars was Vasantika, an apsara (a celestial nymph) who appears in the middle of a forest. As her name indicates, Vasantika represents the oncoming of the Vasanta ritu or the spring season, The Ravi Varma Press printed lithographs of three ‘nymphs’ based on original oil paintings created by the master artist. They were ‘Padmini’ ‘Varini’ and ‘Vasantika’. Hindu, Jaina and Buddhist mythology define an apsara as a supernatural celestial being possessed of eternal youth, inconceivable beauty mastering different kinds of arts. These mysterious and seductive apsaras wander between earthly and heavenly realms, enchanting gods, demons and humans alike. The other two Raja Ravi Varma lithographs featuring Padmini and Varini come close on the heels of Vasantika in terms of iconography and composition. While Padmini, or the lotus nymph, is draped in a diaphanous pink saree as she stands amidst a pond of lotuses. Similarly, Varini, the third nymph in this series appears in a forest where her face is turned away from the viewer, one can only see her in partial profile. A pink saree is draped around her lower torso while her upper torso is bare. These three lithographs which celebrate the fluidity of Raja Ravi Varma’s strokes in a brilliant manner stand as a testament to his penchant for depicting female forms in diaphanous drapes. All the three nymphs are in one or the other way associated with nature. In some mythological texts, Vasantika is described as having similar qualities as that of the forest goddess Aranayani. The Rg Veda defines Aranayani as elusive, fond of quiet glades in the jungle, and fearless of remote places. Ravi Varma, who was fluent in the textual traditions imparted his Vasantika with these qualities of Arnayani. In this oleograph, the beautiful nymph can be seen standing amidst a dense grove draped in a translucent pink saree clutching a bunch of flowers in her hand. The ‘Flame of the Forest’ tree is clearly visible behind the nymph. With her long flowing hair untied, Vasantika is adorned in jewellery made of flowers. A combination of a goddess and a nymph, the apsara playfully looks at the viewer as she stands in striking contrast to the wilderness of the forest behind her. Away from the prying eyes, she roams in the virgin forests far removed from civilization leaving the abundance of spring in her wake. This lithograph of Vasantika symbolises spring or the season that heralds blossoms and nature. The artist has represented her divine beauty as the ultimate temptress — someone whose charms are impossible to ignore. In a rare and unlikely juxtaposition, Ravi Varma willfully combined the ethereal beauty of a goddess with the playfulness of a nymph in Vasantika. Something must also be said about the saree and its effect on the onlooker - a cool tone of pink that is diaphanously draped over the nymph’s body. The wispy cloth almost melts away in the breeze becoming one with it, while the silken folds of the saree barely cover enough to let the viewer’s imagination run wild. This quintessential temptress shows enough skin here and there to make the most erudite mortals mesmerised. In Vasantika, Raja Ravi Varma turned a goddess-nymph into a mortal but immortalised the ideal female form. Moving away from the archetypal depictions, the legendary artist celebrated the beauty of the nymph by keeping her as close to reality as possible while imparting an ethereal radiance that comes out in this powerful, moving and ever-so lyrical depiction. RtistiQ brings to you the Raja Ravi Varma Phygital NFT art auction that will be held between the 28th- 31st July’22. Don’t miss out and collect them all by clicking here. https://art.rtistiq.com/en/auction/raja-ravi-varma-nft-drop2/lots Ravi Varma Press, Vasantika, 1890 Image courtesy: Google Arts and Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Ravi Varma Press, Padmini, 1890 Image courtesy: Google Arts and Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation Ravi Varma Press, Varini, 1890 Image courtesy: Google Arts and Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation

RtistiQ

15 Jul 2022

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Raja Ravi Varma, who brought the gods to life, imparted an ethereal aura to royalty and redefined feminine beauty with his timeless paintings. Overcoming flatness, flaccidity, and a lack of movement in the subject of earlier painting styles, Ravi Varma breathed a new life into classical Indian painting through his skillful combination of western academic realism and Indian narrative style. His creations, both mythological and social, evoke an emotional response in the viewer as they reveal myriad emotions on canvas, the psychological reactions of these emotions through their body language, gestures, and facial expressions. Though it is difficult to pick one iconic work of a painter whose works are ubiquitously known for their beauty and grace, colors, strokes, and finesse, his famous piece The Coquette (circa 1893) is an accurate representation of Ravi Varma's unique visual vocabulary filled with different registers of sensation, sensuality, symbolism, subtle metaphor without heightened drama, and a range of modes and meanings which resonate with social, cultural and artistic patterns. A beautiful woman holds a gooseberry as she looks directly at the viewer. Cast in an enigmatic and seductive avatar, the unknown woman clutches the edge of her saree as she playfully offers the fruit to the onlooker. Such was the admiration for this composition that the artist created another similar work titled Lady with a Fruit (1894), now housed at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. Admittedly, this could have been a popular theme at the time since other artists like Sekhara Warrier also played with the piece of a woman and fruit and came up with versions such as Lady with Fruit Plate (1890). However, Warrier's depiction of an upper-caste Nair woman holding a plate full of plump orange-like fruits is similar to and different from Ravi Varma's The Coquette. The woman in Warrier's work is a Nair woman dressed in a transparent white methukattu (or mundu) since they were not permitted to wear a blouse or an upper garment as per their religious customs. Gazing languidly at the viewer, Warrier's Nair woman is more 'real' and earthly - a regular privileged woman from 19th-century Kerala. At the same time, Ravi Varma's Coquette is a softer, more delicate, and ethereal 'Apsara-esque' woman who is boldly seductive. Perhaps this is why the other two paintings have specific titles, as there are not many subtle and suggestive hints. Still, The Coquette is special because it is a more layered interpretation of the ideals of femininity and womanhood. The visible difference in modeling the faces and bodies of both women is also not lost on the viewers. Interestingly, even the Lady with a Fruit is considered slightly paler compared to The Coquette regarding the composition's details and richness. On closer examination of the style of the two paintings, one would realize that The Coquette has been painted with a high level of precision and detail. At the same time, Lady With A Fruit appears to be a more hurriedly made work, as the stroke work in the painting is remarkably different. This evocative and powerful image opens up various possibilities regarding what Ravi Varma was trying to convey through this work. The word "coquette" is defined as "a woman who likes to attract attention by behaving as if she is sexually interested in people, in a pleasant but not serious way." If the tilt of her head, her slightly parted red-tinged lips, and the provocative look in her eyes depicts the woman's cheerful flirting, the exquisite jewelry, the green velvet blouse laced with brocade, and the translucent pink silk saree embellished with gold threads speak of her upper-class status. Gooseberry is said to have grown from the drops of Amrit, the heavenly nectar that fell from the abode of gods. Thus, a beautiful fair-skinned woman holding a gooseberry could be Ravi Varma's modern visual re-interpretation of Vishnu's Mohini avatar in an imaginative combination of eroticism and innocence. Or, she could be a Ravi Varma prototype of an earthly Apsara (celestial nymph) tantalizing her viewers with the fruit-bearing nectar of immortality. Or, it could be the artist's way of indicating the woman's pregnant state. As the genuine modernist he was, Raja Ravi Varma glorified women as Goddesses and the Goddesses as women. The Coquette seems to be an attempt in a similar vein without the overt sexualization or meaningless glorification of a young woman featured in the portrait. Even today, Ravi Varma's depiction of the Indian female form leaves us spellbound as his Devis, Nayikas, Apsaras, Maharanis, and many unknown women effortlessly transcend the real and the ideal. It seems like this painting was Ravi Varma's tribute to these women as he imparted each of their most distinctive qualities to this nameless woman called The Coquette. This painting is a part of the first-ever Exclusive Raja Ravi Varma NFT Auction. Check more on the auction details and join our waiting list here. Ravi Varma Coil Tampuran, The Coquette, Travancore, circa 1893 (Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation) Raja Ravi Varma, Woman Holding a Fruit, late 19th century (Image courtesy: National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Google Arts & Culture) Sekhara Warrier, Lady with Fruit Plate, 1890 (Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation; Google Arts & Culture)

RtistiQ

11 Feb 2022

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An artist ahead of his time, Raja Ravi Varma pushed the boundaries of Indian art and image-making and in many ways redefined iconography. The artist who belonged to the same time as some of the greatest European artists of the time like Paul Gauguin, Édouard Manet, Vincent van Gogh, and was most likely influenced by it is likely his style was influenced by artists such as Vermeer, Raphael, Rembrandt, and David, Ingres, Ravi Varma pioneered salon art in India; remarkably having never travelled outside the country or trained in an art school. Deliberately moving away from buxom anatomies, large-sized heads, droopy eyes, gaudy costumes and jewellery, heightened chiaroscuro effects, dark misty landscape settings, and palatial backgrounds, Ravi Varma’s realistic interpretations and portrayals of gods and goddesses and historical events left a deep indelible impression on the popular visual culture even to this day. From his early Tanjore-style bejewelled paintings to mass-produced oleographs, Ravi Varma brought many popular stories to life with an illusionistic flair that mirrored the society of his time. Having mastered the oil medium he adapted Western Academic naturalism to “pure Indian sensibilities”, an example being Édouard Manet’s Olympia being adapted into Ravi Varma’s Reclining Nair Lady. In the artwork, we see a fair-skinned affluent Nair woman recumbent on a velvet couch being attended by her dark-skinned maid as she gazes directly at the viewer. Believed to have been modelled on the heroine of the popular Malayalam novel Indulekha by O.C. Menon, the painting alludes to Manet’s masterpiece of a nude woman (Olympia) lying on a bed and her black female servant bringing her flowers. The orchid in her hair, bracelet, pearl earrings and the oriental shawl on which she lies are symbols of wealth and sensuality. Since Ravi Varma operated in a different socio-cultural milieu he transfigured an unabashed Olympia into a fully-clothed but equally bold Indulekha. Coming up with his unique visual storytelling, the artist offers us a peek into the world of erudite and worldly Indulekha. Painted in 1902, the heroine is shown as an educated woman fond of reading and capable of holding her own, unlike other Raja Ravi Varma sensual mythological and sometimes coy heroines. Published in 1889, O.C Menon’s Indulekha dealt with societal constraints on the romantic love of a young educated Nair woman in 19th century Kerala. In order to portray Indulekha’s fiercely independent spirit, Ravi Varma supplanted Olympia’s boudoir to an upper-caste woman from the Malabar region of India. As someone who painted many women from aristocratic and noble families, Ravi Varma’s works were documentation of their lifestyle and their society. In this painting, a quintessentially Malayalam heroine Indulekha can be seen wearing a mundum neryathum (a two-set upper and lower garment that eventually evolved into a saree), kasu malai (garland of coins), ruby-studded gold bangles, earrings and necklaces, and the top knot on her hair is bedecked with flowers, while her servant almost merges into the background as she fans her mistress. The naturalistic finesse and three-dimensional quality lend a sense of volume and perspective to this composition where we can feel the gauziness of the Nair lady’s mundum neryathum. She lies atop a narrow bed covered with a silk throw and a blue pillow. Like Olympia, the Nair lady also holds the gaze of the viewer while languidly resting her head on her hand. As much as the painting draws inspiration from Monet’s Olympia it also borrows narrative elements of Company paintings of aristocratic men and women, nawabs and bibis and their retinue of servants and handmaidens minus the inherent exoticisation. In many ways, this painting combining European influence and native tradition was reflective of a newfound redefinition of the modern Indian woman without any of the shocking elements of Olympia. At a time when Victorian prudishness was seeping through the cracks of Indian society, Ravi Varma chose to model his young and educated heroine on a controversial figure proving once again that he was the first Modernist when it came to Indian art. Édouard Manet, Olympia, 1863 (Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons) Raja Ravi Varma, Reclining Nair Lady, 1902 (Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture) The dark-skinned attendants to fair-skinned mistresses Left: Olympia Right: Reclining Nair Lady Left: Olympia Right: Indulekha This genre defying painting features in the first ever Exclusive Raja Ravi Varma NFT Auction. Click the link here to participate in the First Ever Raja Ravi Varm NFT Auction .

RtistiQ

04 Feb 2022

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Two Ajanta-Esque courtly women enjoying the splendours of spring, a couple riding an autorickshaw on the streets of Kolkata, a group of villagers on pilgrimage, Alaskan migratory birds visiting the Taj Mahal, an installation mimicking the complicated Tangaliya weave, and a surreal Dandi March - this Republic Day we bring you a comprehensive collection of Indian art cutting across India's various artistic traditions and practices. Often considered colourful, bright, filled with complicated symbolism and tangential delineations, the indigenous and contemporary arts of India are often about it’s people and the thousands of stories that make up this unique landscape. Perhaps this is why a Bhaskar Chitrakar Kalighat painting can find a place next to a Binoy Varghese canvas; Shamim Akhtar’s abstract model of Kerala monsoons alongside Nitesh Chaudhuri’s pahadi farmers makes absolute sense. Delineated broadly through different schools, styles, and unconventional juxtapositions, this particular set of artworks experiment with a diverse range of Indian art-historical antecedents and arrive at certain abbreviations that placed them in a keen, tangential relationship to the contemporary visual language. 1. Ashik Alikhan, Two Alaskan Birds Visiting Taj (Image link: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/art/painting/two-alaskan-birds-visiting-taj In a picture-perfect moment of East meets West, two migratory birds fly all the way from Alaska to visit the famous Taj Mahal. See more of this painting here 2. Bhaskar Chitrakar, Riding in a Tuk Tuk (Image link: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/art/undefined/riding-in-a-tuk-tuk) This Kalighat pata painting by Bhaskar Chitrakar explores contemporary Calcutta via familiar characters - the Bengali Babu and his wife. The wealthy couple traverses through the busy streets of Calcutta (now Kolkata) in an autorickshaw exploring the city that has changed rapidly since the last time they ventured out. 3. Elancheziyan S., Spring (Image link: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/art/painting/spring15) Inspired by the famed Ajanta paintings, artist Elancheziyan takes us back to the glorious era of Rashtrakutas where we see noblemen in the company of courtly women with the beautiful architecture bringing the background. 4. Nitesh Chaudhari, Suddenly (Image link: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/art/undefined/suddenly) Inspired by the works of iconic Abanindranath Tagore, artist Nitesh Chaudhuri takes us to a quaint village on the foothills of the Himalayas. A lone woman is reaping the overgrown crops as we take in the bucolic surroundings around her 5. Sanjay Kumar Rajpoot, Dandi Salt - II (Image link: https://art.rtistiq.com/en/art/painting/dandi-salt---ii) A reflection of our current circumstances, artist Sanjay Kumar Rajpoot transcends history, politics, society and nature to bring alive the momentous Dandi March and the very act of defying the Salt law by Mahatma Gandhi had it occurred in present-day and age. Discover more of our eclectic Indian art collection here.

RtistiQ

26 Jan 2022

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Celebrated among the greatest painters in India, and a visionary far beyond his times Raja Ravi Varma was known for the rich shades and energetic hues of his mythological prints and the ethereal power of his temperate paintings. Born into an aristocratic family in 1848 in the village of Kilimanoor, Kerala, Ravi Varma was the first one to blend European academic norms for the depiction of true details naturalism with a rich India-centric influence. Working with an illusionistic flair, Ravi Varma reimagined the Hindu mythological stories so deeply entrenched in the popular Indian imagination. Up until then, most of these characters were painted were flat, and the deities were recognized only by their accessories and mounts. Owing to modern realism, Raja Ravi Varma offered them a face thus humanizing them. And many lovely episodes from the Hindu epics came to life, in full-bodied form, colour, and emotion that were palpable. In a unique fusion and intermingling of light and shadows by using a perspective that added depth to his paintings, the artist traversed through disparate moods and emotions. His paintings reverberate with a zest to a celebration called life. This is why his paintings had trees adorned with fruits and flowers, and waters made more mesmerising with the various hues. Last but not least were the painting’s subjects themselves. The longing in the eyes made it seem that they would blink and come out of the painting any moment now. Disappointed, 1906 It was a remarkable shift from the type of art that was painted then. Now the eyes expressed a longing as the folds of sari fluttered, the jewels that generously adorned his subjects shimmered in a perceived angle of light - and Virahotkhandita Nayika was born. According to the classical convention, one way of recognizing ‘the grieving woman who is separated from her beloved' is through her open, unbound hair. And this is how one sees the woman portrayed here - unhappy after receiving a letter from her lover. In an image depicting the relationship between a friend and the heroine, Chitralekha paints the picture of Aniruddha, the Prince (in this case the Vaishnava deity Krishna) who stole heroine Usha’s heart. Ravi Varma titled this Chitralekha not only because that is the name of Usha’s friend, but because Chitralekha means someone who is as stunning as a painted image. In this case, the friend could really be the heroine’s own conscience. It sings a soliloquy by the grieving Nayika, one who is in separation. At that moment, Chitralekha conjures up his face in a painting. Chitralekha thus transforms into Usha’s own conscience. Chitralekha, 1890 Ravi Varma was aware of the narrative and context of the epic. Hence, he could visualize these narratives in his mind and put them on the canvas. He did not conform to set standards of following a painting theme as per the story. He was known to alter the mood and theme as per what he was commissioned or as an innovative inspiration. The classic scene of Lord Rama breaking Lord Shiva’s bow to marry Sita is legendary, for it was a precursor to the war between Lord Rama and Ravan. Varma painted the scene to show anguish on the character’s faces to mark this future event. Rama Breaking The Sacred Bow Of Siva Before His Marriage To Sita, 1906 Rama, Sita and Lakshmana Crossing The Sarayu, 1906 From one of longing and a high octane drama to a state of absolute bliss. This is a painting of Rama, Sita and Lakshana Crossing The Sarayu on their way to exile. To depict Sita's contentment when she was with her husband Rama, Ravi Varma portrayed her elaborately dressed, a peaceful visage, and her hair bound in a bun. The Stolen Interview, early 20th century If we look closely at the two characters in The Stolen Interview, we may think that they are meant for each other. It shows how two people in love conducted themselves back in those days. We see the man looking at the female, while the lady pretends to be busy with a flower in her hand. But their presence in such close proximity makes us believe that they consider each other their soulmate. The role of the flower is as symbolic in this painting as it is in most of the other paintings of Varma. The rose depicted here symbolizes eternal love. The female character has draped a simple yet elegant gold-bordered saree. The pearl jewellery she adorns around her neck is meant to tell us that she comes from an affluent household. The light is shown to come inside from out, showcasing that we, the viewers, are witnessing a private moment as complete outsiders. Yashoda and Krishna, ca. 1911 In this painting, one finds the zenith of motherly love, Vatsalya Bhava as the infant Krishna is hugging his mother Yashoda and is holding a cup in his tiny hand. His cherubic face pressed close to his mother as he begs for some fresh milk while she is milking the cow. At this moment, both the mother and the son are at their intimate best. Yashoda’s glance reveals her ecstatic joy of the nearness of her baby, whose demand she enjoys and fulfills grudgingly. pestering demand of her child. These characters are the protagonists of a historic moment from a classical text, were intended to be noble, heroic, momentous, and emotional in the most human way. These gods, goddesses, noblemen, and women left an indelible impact on art, religion, society, and aesthetics as they democratized art, perhaps groundbreaking in the history of the Indian art movement.

RtistiQ

17 Dec 2021

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With October arriving, we are all getting into the Halloween spirit. And fine art painting has some of the spookiest and most horrifying images to bring you all the terror you could imagine. Artists have often contemplated the darker side of existence, with their efforts rendering up some ghoulish results. Below, we’ll look through seven of the most scary artworks. These are horror paintings that scare and repulse. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Garden of Earthly Delights (c.1500 to 1505) by Hieronymus Bosch Bosch brings horror in his own special way — through surreal and religious imagery. That ability to make the bizarre and beautiful twisted into the scary has made him a major influence up to our present day. In this triptych, by far his most famous work now, the far right panel depicts terrible tortures and debauchery, a vision that you won’t be able to shake off for quite some time. That it all develops out of the tranquility and purity of the far left panel gives this a narrative thrust that makes it all the scarier. Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion (1944) by Francis Bacon You could pick just about any Francis Bacon painting and it would fit on this list. But here, we go with a triptych beloved for its monsters. The work ushered in the artist’s mature period, and represents the full power of Bacon. While created to be used, as the title suggests, at the base of a crucifixion, the monsters are based off of the Furies. This remains a masterpiece of horror, yet the final work of a crucifix with these at the base never came to be. But Bacon painted plenty more scary scenes. The Nightmare (1781) by Henry Fuseli Fuseli made all of our nightmares come true with this Romantic classic. While the painting was controversial at the time for its sexual tones, later critics would admire the profound understanding of human psychology and terror. The face of the incubus really is the stuff of nightmares, and the horse hiding just out of the light will keep you from sleeping. It’s a painting that actually lives up to the broad and massive topic that is its namesake. For this reason, it deserves its place on any list of scary artworks. Saturn Devouring His Son (c. 1891-1823) by Francisco Goya Goya dived into the world of Greek myth to create this magnificently brutal painting. The gore of the half-eaten body and the look of crazed madness in the eyes of Saturn, not to mention the black background (something Goya was doing a lot of at the time), all work together to create chills in any viewer. While many artists have painted this scene from mythology, no one has captured the absolute horror of it — though Peter Paul Rubens got pretty close. The Face of War (1940) by Salvador Da Dalí painted this artwork to refer, in general, to war and the horrors it causes. But the artist wondered often if it actually was a premonition — he painted it in the interim between the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War. Set in a typical Dalí-style desert, the face of anguish has yet more faces of anguish for its eyes and mouth. And in those smaller faces are still smaller faces. It implies that the process of pain and suffering caused by war goes on forever. A truly terrifying thought. Dante and Virgil (1850) by William-Adolphe Bouguereau Bouguereau’s painting comes from the Divine Comedy by Dante. Here, Dante and Virgil are travelling through hell, and they come upon two of the damned trapped in combat. Gianni Schicchi, a fraud in life, bites into the throat of heretical alchemist Capocchio. The exquisite color, chiaroscuro lighting, and palpable mayhem make this a true horror painting masterpiece. The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea (1805) by William Blake This work appears in a series of Blake’s paintings covering the Great Red Dragon. All of these watercolors were meant to be used as Biblical illustrations, with Blake taking his subject matter from the Book of Revelation. Blake’s visionary style and ability to confront the darkness make all of the works in this series captivating as well as horrifying. Collect the latest Halloween collection handpicked by our curators while it is available. Art 1: Vivarium II, Oil on Linen, Adrian Narvaez Caicedo Art 2: Verona II, Oil on canvas, Luciana Livi

RtistiQ

29 Oct 2021

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