Raja Ravi Varma A Tribute

Submitted by UMAMAHESWARI on Wed, 2006-12-06 20:0

Travancore had made a fundamental contribution to Indian art in the work of Raja Ravi Varma. Technically his work was outside the Indian tradition in that his medium was oil colour and his method realistic. He has been criticized by experts in tempera and water colour. But it has to remember that he worked with in the dark century between the break of the Rajput and Mughal schools following the dissolution of Mughal Empire and the revival of Indian painting 15 years after his death.

The personification of the cosmic powers and of heroic life and the stories connected with them by the illuminated imagination of the seers of the old became the chief artistic motif of his work and kept the idealism of the vast majority of the people of India fresh.

Raja Ravi Varma was not a solitary figure in art in Travancore but was one of a family succession that takes us back a century to the passing of Rohini Amma Thampuran who is the first oil painter in Travancore. With her was Kunjikkavu Amma Thampuran also a painter. Samples of their works are not available. Kunjikkavu is the mother of the world renowned artist Raja Ravi Varma [1860-1905] Raja Raja Varma and Mangala Bhai Tampuratti.

Now this is the death centenary year of Raja Ravi Varma, who had initiated a new era in the history on Indian painting. The methods and techniques he adopted like Western school of painting with the perspective effect, perfect anatomy and proportion and other aids of realism were new to Indian art then.

Watching Theodre Jensen an English artist who was commissioned to execute a series of portraits of the royal family members was an eye opener. He started illustrating the themes from the Indian mythology. He fashioned out the Gods and Goddess on the models of living man and woman in the society around him and clothes them in the costumes of contemplative life. Very harsh have been the criticism that greeted his mythic subjects.

On the other side, they provided valuable spiritual support to the illiterate and uneducated and an easy visual aid to remind them of the glorious teachings of the ancient sages. His merits as a portrait painter is widely admired and the Duke of Buckingham honored him with several commissions.

Born in the family of artists, poets and scholars he had have early training from his uncle Raja Raja Varma. Like Rembrandt he made drawings with the charcoal on the walls of his family mansion, at Kilimanoor. Inscription on the altar of the huge papal tree in front of the palace, says that it was planted in 1728 to commemorate the founding of the fief of Kilimanoor. It was in the same year that Marthanda Varma ascended throne.

Born to Uma Amba Tampurati and Ezhumavil Neelakantan Bhattathirippad on April 29 1850, Ravi Varma had his initial lessons in painting from his uncle Raja Raja Varma. From Theodre Jenson, he came to know of the immense possibilities in the realm of oil colors. Ravi Varma’s skill in manipulating the light and shade effect even made Jenson breathless.
Lord Horbart sent a few of Ravi Varma’s works to the great Indian Exhibition held at Vienna.” Lady playing Swarbat “fetched him the Gold Medal. The Duke of Buckingham purchased ‘Sakunthala’s love epistle to Dushyantha. Sir T Madhava Rao took the initiative to display Ravi Varma’s works in an exhibition at Pune. Followed by this the Raja of Mysore and the Gaekward of Baroda invited him to make portraits of the royal family members. In 1893, ten works of Ravi Varma were displayed at the World Religion Congress at Chicago.

Ravi Varma’s inherent genius rich imagination to visualize a theme and tireless endeavor made him numero uno in the world of paintings. The colour schemes, fashion in dress and ornaments, created a tradition and there were many imitations. His portrayal of the Gods and the Goddess has found a way in the pooja rooms of tradition bound families. His motifs from puranas and classics besides the immortalized vignettes of ordinary life were land marks in the history of Indian painting.

His works are displayed at the Sri Chithra Art Gallery, Kaudiar, Pattom and Mysore palaces.

How many of us know that he was also a poet?
He has composed a laudatory poem on river Narmada. His Mukthakas and Ashtakas are yet to get popularized

artist amma thampuran grand daughter of ravi varma
Submitted by UMAMAHESWARI on Sun, 2006-12-17 12:21.

She is the grand daughter of the pioneer artist Raja Ravi Varma. Graceful with distinct features, she works calmly, with her brush and paint to just please her and to delight her kith and kin. Aged four scores and 12, Makayiram Tirunal Raajamma Amma Thampuran, now has to her credit, a number of portraits, landscapes, waterscapes and classical themes.

Amma Thampuran belongs to the ulsava Madom branch of the Mavelikkara Kottaram. With the demise of her husband, CK Kerala Varma, she found solace in the world of colors. Once she put her mind and soul into it, her inborn talent for art began to blossom and bear fruit.

Displaying her earlier works, AMMA Thampuran said, “I use only water colors. Look, the pictures of Kovalam and Kashmir, the two extremes of India… these are ente kashmeeram and ente Keralam.”

“Once I essayed the picture of the noble Mother Theresa. It was a challenge to paint deep set eyes, cheek bones, thin lips and wrinkled face.”

“The sisters from the nearby ST. Antony’s church demanded it. Later they asked me to portray crucifixion of Christ, I declined. It is a painful event. I cannot.”

Currently she is giving the finishing touches of her latest work, Sakunthala fanning Kanwa Maharshi. “It took ten days to sketch. I will start coloring when I am satisfied with the sketch” she disclosed.

She gifts most of her works. “But not for money” she said. Her daughter Ambica’s demise was indeed an emotional shock, for this grand old lady. I kept away from the world of colors for some time…But one has to keep the mind engaged. She said with a heavy heart.

Amma Thampuran is well versed in Sanskrit and ahs composed many hymns, poems and padams. She has fairly good knowledge in astrology also.
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