Celebrating 172 years of Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), the great Indian painter who came to redefine Indian art practice in the colonial times, is a comprehensive digital retrospective of his paintings, prints, sketches and rare photographs, which can be viewed online.
The e-exhibition titled "Raja Ravi Varma" also presents alongside works inspired by the artist – on canvas, textiles, like studio photography and even as matchbox art. Over 30 stories and 700 images and videos from nine institutions, including The Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, National Gallery of Modern Art New Delhi, The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation and Museum of Art and photography have been featured.
Sitas Exile by Raja Ravi Varma. Wikimedia Commons_
The exhibition explores his work and offers insights into his rich and varied life. Viewers can begin their journey from Kilimanoor Palace in present-day Kerala, where was born and raised and move on to the finer nuances found in his paintings – that merged the Indian aesthetic sensibilities with the European academic style.
As a special experience, one can also take a guided tour of his artworks to the tune of Indian classical music. The exhibition can be viewed on desktop and mobile at Google Arts and Culture. (IANS)