Raja Ravi Varma was one of the most celebrated artists of India in the 19th century. He was a popular and significant artist of the time, who combined European sensibilities with traditional Indian artistic landscape, thus carving a niche for himself. Raja Ravi Varma’s early life was spent in the tiny hamlet of Kilimanoor, around 40 km north of Trivandrum in Kerala. He was from a princely family, closely linked to the ruling family in Trivandrum. His family was creatively inclined and had a profound effect on the young Ravi Varma. His father was a Sanskrit scholar, and his mother was a poet. His uncle was an amateur artist, who painted in the Tanjore style. So, when Ravi Varma began to exhibit artistic inclinations, it was his uncle who encouraged him with his early lessons. He was a pioneer in the field of art, having successfully combined Indian iconography with western painting techniques. His prolific repertoire included paintings of Indian mythological figures, Gods, Goddesses, studio-style portraits of royalty, and scenes from everyday life. He was one of the earliest Indian artists to exhibit his paintings abroad. He was revolutionary in his contribution to the Indian art scene, having established a lithographic press so that his paintings become accessible to the common man. He was awarded the Kaiser-i-Hind, gold medal, for his service to the British Raj, in the year 1904. Even after a century, his work is still celebrated and sold for millions of dollars at the top art houses around the world. The lithograph Indian mythology is a veritable treasure trove of stories, filled with fantasy, adventure, heart wrenching tragedy, romance, and mystery. It is no wonder that the characters who populated these mythic legends have managed to capture the imagination of the people who read them. Being the extraordinary artist that he was, Raja Ravi Varma was successful in breathing a new life into these characters, by reimagining them and showing a rare human side to them, while transporting them to his wonderous paintings. The lithograph featured here is titled, Mohini, the temptress. It is based on the original oil painting by Ravi Varma, which was named, Mohini on a swing. This painting depicts, Mohini, the female form or avatar of Lord Vishnu, who features in the lore of yore. Mohini is mentioned in the puranas, as a seductress, enchanting and dazzling the demons with her beauty and beguiling them to concede and let the God’s taste the nectar of life first. The next time Lord Vishnu took Mohini’s avatar was to save Lord shiva from the clutches of the formidable and unvanquishable demon, Bhrahmasura. In this exquisite painting, Mohini is shown seated on a swing under a shade of a majestic tree. She is swathed in a white attire, presumably a saree, with a rich gold border and simple jewellery. The bangles and necklace seem to accentuate her delicate wrists and slender neck. Mohini is captured here in a rare, lighthearted moment, with her windswept hair trailing behind her and her feet in the air, as she attempts to swing higher. Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru The scenic background, with Ravi Varma’s trademark artistic touches serves to accentuate the beauty of the painting. Ravi Varma as an artist often managed to cross the thin line between the real and the imaginary world, especially when it came to portraying women. He used many elements like richly decorated attire, jewellery, even flowers and fruits to accentuate the beauty of his muses and to bring out their mood in the painting. For instance, in his famous painting ‘Radha in the moonlight’, the nayika Radha, is seen sitting on the rocks, next to flowing water on which moonlight is reflected. The faint hint of smile and her gaze hints at the fact that she may have seen Krishna, approaching her. Her body language, the way her sari is pulled around her shoulders and her luminous beauty, reveal the fact that she is both a lover and devotee of Lord Krishna. The brass pooja thali next to her, with a medley of flowers, sweets, and fruits, symbolizes an element of piety and devotion present in Radha. Here, as the divine and mortal elements merge, the relationship is shown to be on a spiritual level as well. The whole mood of the painting seems to be one of serenity, while in the case of ‘Mohini’ there seems to be an element of sublime sensuality and playfulness. Mohini, despite her celestial status, indulges in a moment of mundane magic, as she swings higher. Her diaphanous sari and languid body language in carefree abandonment, as she enjoys the moment is an ode to her seductive nature and infuses the painting with an undertone of sensuality. The artist has skillfully combined the luminous beauty of a goddess and the seduction and playfulness of a nymph to create the original enchantress Mohini, in this lyrical and captivating composition. 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/nftdrop

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24 Jul 2022

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Throughout the history of art, varied artistic reinterpretations of mythology have resulted in some of the most iconic works of art. Mythology resonated in the splendid Avalokiteshwara of Ajanta; Sandro Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus (1483-85); the cheap mass-produced Battala woodcuts; Picasso’s Minotaur Ravishing a Female Centaur (1933/39); MF Husain’s Mahabharata series (1971); and in some cases dominated entire repertoire of artists like Raja Ravi Varma. Known for his emblematic depictions of Hindu mythology, Raja Ravi Varma arrived at something that was never seen before - the archetypal Nayika or Heroine. With the use of oil paint and realism, Ravi Varma recreated the literary heroine as an empowered woman rather than a damsel in distress. It wasn't so that every other mythological character found a place in Ravi Varma’s canvas, but only those dramatic characters that had permeated into the Indian psyche over the centuries. Shakutala was one of many Nayikas that Ravi Varma resuscitated in a new avatar and it seems that she occupied a special place in the artist’s oeuvre. Kalidas’ eponymous heroine born to the great sage Vishwamitra and celestial nymph Menaka, Shakuntala’s life was full of trials and tribulations. Soon after her father and mother abandoned her, sage Kanva brought her up in his ashrama. As the story goes the sage found her in a forest amidst singing shakunta birds and named her Shakuntala. She later met Emperor Dushyanta of Hastinapur and married him only to be deserted by her husband in a forest while she was asleep. Their son Bharata, later became the emperor and the predecessor of the Kauravas and Pandavas. Her efforts to reunite with her husband is one of India’s most loved and much read literary saga retold in Mahabharata and Kalidas’ Abhijnanashakuntalam (The Recognition of Shakuntala). Ravi Varma’s fascination with Shakuntala resulted in many memorable creations including the first chromolithograph “Birth of Shakuntala” (Shakuntala Janma; also bears the spelling 'Sakoontala') that came out of Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press in 1894. Other such timeless Raja Ravi Varma lithographic compositions featuring Shakuntala include Shakuntala Patralekhana, Shakuntala Dushyanta, Menaka Shakuntala, Shakuntala Removing a Thorn from Her Foot, Shakuntala Sakhi, and many others. One of the lithographs, titled Shakuntala Sakhi portrays a young Shakuntala in sylvan surroundings with her sakhis (friends) Anusuya and Priyamvada. Ravi Varma who captured in her many moods and many more life incidents gives us a glimpse of a young and playful Skauntala adorned in flowers with Anususya, Priyamvada and a deer. Shakuntala’s white drape clashes against Anusuya and Priyamvada’s bright red and yellow sarees, a familiar trope used by artists to depict the nayika/heroine’s purity. The scene symbolically juxtaposes Shakuntala’s naive innocence where her friends tend to her with the deer’s fickleness. Unaware of the life changing events, Shakuntala here is bliss personified. Through his lithographic press, Ravi Varma also gave new meaning to the art of collecting and owning art. This pioneering step made it possible for the common man to own a piece of art produced by the incredible Raja Ravi Varma! Credited for many-a-firsts, Raja Ravi Varma was possibly the first Indian artist to master perspective and the use of oil paint; he also pioneered the use of human models to depict Hindu gods and goddesses and scenes and stories from Ramayana, Mahabharata, and the Puranas; the first Indian artist to gain widespread international fame at a time when painters and craftsmen largely remained either anonymous or unidentified; and the first to make his work available not just to a specific class of patrons but also to common people by way of his oleographs. 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, Birth of Shakuntala, circa 1894, Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru Ravi Varma, Shakuntala Patralekhan, 1895, Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru Raja Ravi Varma, Shakuntala Removing Thorn from Foot, 1898 Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru Ravi Varma, Menaka Shakuntala Sakhi, circa 1890, Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru Ravi Varma, Shakuntala Sakhi, circa 1890, Ravi Varma Press Image courtesy: Google Arts & Culture; Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation, Bengaluru

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24 Jul 2022

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Raja Ravi Varma was a gifted and prolific artist, hailing from Kerala, who is still revered for his magnificent paintings. He has donned several roles during his illustrious career as an acclaimed artist; favored portrait painter of royal families, a storyteller of famous epics, a print maker who made art accessible to the masses, one of the first Indian artists to have exhibited his paintings abroad, being some of them. His childhood was spent in the village of Killimanoor, near Trivandrum in Kerala. He was of an aristocratic lineage, closely connected to the ruling family in Travancore. Even as a young boy, he displayed his rare artistic prowess by filling the walls of his childhood home, with pictures of animals and vignettes from everyday life. It was his uncle Raja Varma, (an amateur artist himself) who discovered a streak of genius in these childish scrawls and doodles. After getting initiated into the fascinating world of art, at the age of thirteen, Ravi Varma managed to secure the patronage of the then Maharaja, Ayilyam Thirunal. He sought the tutelage of the palace artist Rama Swami Naicker, who had mastered the European style of painting and later Theodore Jensen, a Dutch portrait painter. After having experimented with art for a long time, Ravi Varma managed to fuse the technical knowledge of European art with the emotional sensibilities and the stories in Indian mythology, to create paintings that would withstand the test of time and prove to be popular, even a century after it was made. His first paid commission was to do a portrait of a family in Calicut, Kerala. This was the beginning of his rewarding career as an artist. The lithograph The Lithograph highlighted here, is titled ‘Sharada’, and is based in an original oil painting by Raja Ravi Varma, known as ‘Malabar lady’. This oil on canvas was part of a collection commissioned by the Maharaja of Mysore and is currently housed in Jagmohan palace, Mysore. Image courtesy: Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation The painting draws attention to a female subject, presumably a Malayalee lady, clad in a pale ivory and cream-colored garment, known as ‘mundu’. She is depicted here as playing a mandolin like instrument (also known as swarbat). Her stance is relaxed, as she leans against what appears to be an intricately carved table and she rests the instrument on her knee. The richness of her attire, accentuated by the pure gold border and the heavy jewellery with exquisite detailing that she wears, complements the opulence of the room. Her confident and relaxed body language and her regal bearing, gives the impression of an aristocratic lineage. Raja Ravi Varma, through his modern realistic techniques and unparalleled skills as an artist, managed to add an aura of enigmatic allure to the female subjects he painted. He readdressed the concept of feminine beauty with his beautifully attired, deeply emotive, and subtly sensuous female subjects. His skillful manipulation of western techniques into a deeply Indian narrative, evokes an emotional response from the viewer of the paintings. The emotions of the subjects and their responses to these emotions are beautifully translated in the emotive faces, gestures, and body language of the subjects as well as the general mood of the painting. For instance, if we compare ‘Sharada’ to another famous painting of Ravi Varma’s, titled ‘Coquette’, it is a clear example of how the artist orchestrates light, shadow, expressions, and gestures to create a visual symphony, that appeals to the viewers’ emotions in a completely visceral way. ‘Coquette’ features an attractive lady holding a gooseberry and gazing directly at the audience. Her coy demeanor, as she clasps the edges of her sari while seeming to offer the fruit to the viewer, with a hint of mischief in her eyes, imbues the painting with a subtle sensuality and mystery without being overly dramatic. While ‘Sharada’ who looks on languidly at the viewer, with her apparent upper-class privileges, seems to depict a ‘real woman’ of the nineteenth century, the lady in ‘Coquette’ has an ethereal quality about her, with her provocative looks and body language. This might hint at the artist’s multifaceted translation of femininity and womanhood. Ravi Varma often portrayed his women characters as bold and alluring, gazing directly at the viewer, with a confident body language, as seen in ‘Sharada’. Many a times it went against the societal and cultural norms of the time, which dictated that well-bred ladies, appear coy and demure. It is of no surprise then that the ladies in his paintings are a heady mix of classic beauty and contemporary sensibilities. He has successfully blurred the thin line between reality and imagination in his paintings by portraying characters who are rooted in reality, while appearing to have an ethereal beauty, steeped in another wordily enigma. This lyrical and powerful composition is a testament to this fact. 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

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24 Jul 2022

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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

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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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Don't Give Away Too Much Information. The best way to write an art description is to use words that will intrigue potential buyers. Use adjectives to describe the subject matter, and avoid using technical terms. If you're selling a painting, try to keep the description short and sweet. You don't need to go into detail about the materials used or the techniques employed by the artist. Instead, focus on describing the piece's style and mood. Use accessible language and avoid using over-sophisticated concepts or art professionals' specific jargon. Be cautious not to fall into the opposite extreme and create a basic description, “art for dummies” style. After all, the art enthusiasts and collectors are a highly educated public. Take advantage of free marketing tools. Most of art collectors research and buy art online in the post-pandemic world. Using search engine marketing is possibly one of the most effective marketing tools. Begin drafting your art description by listing keywords and phrases relevant to your art and that people might use when searching for art. Spread them across your entire text and make sure your final description makes sense. Do not go overboard and abuse this tool. Do not repeat the keyword more than twice in the entire text. Exceeding this limit could cause the text to be flagged for keyword-stuffing and could affect Google rankings. Keep it brief. At Rtistiq, we recommend your art descriptions to be between 200-500 characters. In an ever-accelerating world, like the one we live in, the attention span is surprisingly short. We all look for relevant information in the shortest amount of time. You can always follow the example of the world-renown art museums that are reinventing their exhibition labels, for example, they offer a potential interpretation and historical context for abstract artists and their body of work. Many institutions are now considering a more socially and culturally diverse audience that is likely to return if not bored, overwhelmed, or confused. Do not write a description for the sake of writing one. Avoid repeating your bio or the information related to physical aspects such as size, orientation or packaging and delivery. This information is collected separately. During the upload process, you will be asked to fill in all this information one by one. Engage with your audience. Your story and your art are unique, make yourself heard. Art collectors are looking not only to expand their art collection but also to get insights or access to the untold story of an attractive piece of art. This is a great opportunity to communicate directly to your audience without being mediated by a curator. It might sound scary, but we encourage you to take the plunge and tell the story in your own words, it will make you stand out from the rest of the original artwork for sale online. Highlighting specific details in your art, special techniques, or placing a particular work in a larger context of your career will make your art description enticing. To answer your question “where to start?”, we’ve put together a set of questions that could serve as a guideline for an engaging and relevant artwork description: ● What inspired you to create this artwork? ● What is the message you want to convey in this particular artwork? ● What meaning do you attach to it? ● How does this artwork fit in with the rest of your artistic portfolio? ● What kind of techniques did you use? ● Has this artwork been part of an exhibition or referred to in a publication? And finally, leave a little room for mystery. Don’t give it all, let your audience want for more. RtistiQ artmarketplace offers you the opportunity to showcase your art in a way that suits your vision. You can always take advantage of the rest of the tools to organize your portfolio under series so that all visitors can enjoy and appreciate your creation, and ultimately be the decisive argument that converts a “like” into “I have to have it”.

RtistiQ

08 Jul 2022

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With a rapid transition from brick-to-mortar galleries to digital art marketplaces, many artists face almost every day the challenge of digitizing their art. The art buyers are now online, on social media platforms, and on specialized curated art platforms. To help artists bring their art into the digital realm, in the best possible way, we’ve put together a guide on how to photograph your artworks by using a device that is already in your pocket, your mobile phone. Since many art buyers are not able to experience your art in person, they rely solely on images provided by the artist. Taking good pictures of your works of art will enable the buyer to appreciate your art and make their purchase decisions. At RtistiQ, we accept images up to 30MB (we recommend up to 10MB for faster response) and at least 1920x1080 pixels, JPEG/JPG/PNG files for any potential buyer to have a detailed view of the Artwork. A Full HD has an image pixel count that equates to only 2MP and for a 4K display, it bumps to 8MP. Just about every phone that isn't a pure budget handset is likely to shoot 8MP - iPhone 6 & above / Samsung Galaxy S2 & above. So you are usually set with the Mobile Phone's rear camera to take acceptable-resolution images. Below are some of the photographing tips when using your mobile phone: Choose the right lighting Lighting is one of the most important aspects of photographing your artwork. It affects everything from exposure to color balance. So, before you take a picture, make sure you understand how light works. Take advantage of natural light. Use natural light/daylight, most smartphones handle natural light much better than artificial light. Make sure you position them in front of a window or other source of bright light. Shoot with the sun behind you. If you're shooting indoors, use natural light as much as possible. This will give you the most flattering lighting. If you're outside, avoid direct light onto the artworks. Adjust your position to avoid casting a shadow by not stand between the light source and the Artwork. Manging color gradients If you notice color gradients in your pictures (the part of the artwork closest to the light source might be lighter than the rest), use a simple piece of white paper to bounce off the light on the darker part of your artwork. You might need a second pair of hands for this operation. Positioning your Mobile Phone for best results Hold your phone parallel to your artwork to avoid distortion. Be extra careful with the framing. Move your phone slowly until the sides of your canvas are parallel with the edge of the screen. Leave as little as possible space around your canvas, this will help achieve the best resolution. Hold the phone still. If you plan to upload many artworks it might be worth purchasing a tripod. Tap the best part of the Image When you get the best image on the screen, just tap it, this will help with exposure and the sharpness of your image. Avoid Zooming in too much for better Resolution Move yourself closer to the Artwork rather than zooming in too much using your mobile phones. Most phones support digital zooming only, which reduces the image resolution and will not give the best results. Basic Editing using your phone Almost all smartphones support basic editing of the pictures taken, which should enough without spending on image editing softwares. If the image is not straight, you can slightly rotate it or crop the edges, if required. Job done! You are now ready to upload your art. External Links Additional link references for you to get further details on your Camera and other tips from Pro Photographers, which we found to be interesting. Phone Camera Resolution 10 Tips From the Pro Photographers Contact US You may reach our curatorial team by writing to curators@rtistiq.com or visit our Contact Us page to drop us a message. For additoonal support articles on registration and other queries visit our Help Center for Artists. To register as an artist on the platform please follow the link for registration on Rtistiq now!

RtistiQ

30 Jun 2022

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