Raja Ravi Varma (1848 - 1906)

Raja Ravi Varma 1848 - April 29 -  Birth  1862 - Went to Thiruvananthapuram along with his teacher  audience with Maharaja Ayilam Tirunal.  Received the help of Arumukham pillai in making oil paintings. 1866 - Married Pururuttati Nal Tampuratti of Mavelikara Palace. 1868 - Got acquainted with the British painter Theodore Jensen.  1870 - Received the first honorarium for painting from Palat  Narayana Menon.  The Maharaja of Travancore presented a 'Virasrinkhala' to Ravi Varma. 1873 - Participated in the painting exhibition held at Madras. Won the first prize for his painting entitled 'The lady wearing jasmine flowers'.  Was awarded the Medal of Honour and Certificate at the exhibition at Vienna. 1874 - Got the first prize for the 'The girl singing' at the Madras exhibition. 1880  - Madras Governor, the Lord of Buckinghamvisited Ravi Varma at his residence and interviewed him.  Won the first prize and the Gaekwad gold medal for the   painting entitled 'The Nair Lady' at the Pune exhibition. 1881 - Visited the Palace of the Maharaja of Baroda and made many  paintings there.  1885 - Received the certificates of honour from the exhibition held at London and Calcutta. 1892 - Stayed in Bombay and painted. 1893  - Sent paintings for the exhibition held at Chicago in America.   Got medal of honour and certificate.  1894 - Sold the prints of his paintings. 1897 - Drew paintings for the Chitralayam at Thiruvananthapuram. 1901 - Visited Udaipur, the capital of Mewar and made paintings of   the Maharani and others. 1904 - Was honoured by the British Government with the title Kaiser-I-Hind in the new year. 1905 - Celebrated his 57th birthday at Kilimanoor.  Visited Mysore again with new paintings. 1906 - Was down with fever on September 20  Breathed his last on October 2

 

Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was a great artist who brought Indian painting to the attention of the larger world.    His magnificent paintings shine  still in  their undying glory.   There  is  no  doubt that they will continue to do so in the coming centuries,  triumphing   over the rigorous test of time.  Ravi  Varma  added  a  new  chapter  of  his own to the history of painting.   He held  an unparalleled place  in  his own age.  Ravi Varma's equal is Ravi Varma alone.

Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore paintings originated in Thanjavur during the reign of the Marathas in the 16th century. The Maratha rule of Thanjavur lasted for about two centuries from the late 16th century & this art flourished under the patronage of the Nayak & Maratha princes in the 16th to the 18th centuries. The art was practiced by the two main communities - the RAJUS in Thanjavur & NAIDUS in Madurai. The artists of these two communities who were originally Telugu speaking people, moved from Rayalseema region to Tamil Nadu in the wake of the Nayaks rule in Tanjavur & Madurai.

An extraordinary blend of art and craftsmanship, Tanjore paintings mainly consist of themes on Hindu Gods and Goddesses. The characteristics of the Tanjore paintings are its brilliant colour schemes, decorative jewellery with semi-precious stones and cut glasses and its larger-than-life figures. The early paintings were embedded with real Diamonds, Rubies and other precious stones. Later, use of semi-precious & artificial stones gained popularity.

A typical Thanjavur painting would consist of one main figure, a deity, with a well-rounded body & almond shaped eyes. This figure would be housed in an enclosure created by means of an arch, curtains etc. The painting would be made by the gilded and gem-set technique - a technique where gold leaves & sparkling stones are used to highlight certain aspects of the painting like ornaments, dresses etc. to create a three dimensional effect. Initially, the themes were restricted mostly to mythological figures of Lord Krishna, his childhood pranks in various poses and the various stages of his life. Later on, other Hindu Dieties & Saints were included. Today, people are experimenting with birds, animals, building structures and other subjects of their choice.

Ticket Rate

A single ticket is enough to gain entry to all Museums in the campus

• Children (upto 5)                                      :     Free
• Children between 6 and 14 years               :     Rs. 3
• Adult (one)                                              :     Rs. 5
• Group students 35 Nos. + teachers 2 Nos.:     Rs. 100
• Camera                                                  : [Camera is allowed only in Natural History Museum]

Museum Timing

• 10 : 00 A.M. to 4 : 45 P.M.
• Wednesday 1 : 00 P.M. to 4 : 45 P.M.
• Monday Holiday

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Department of Museums and Zoos Govertment of Kerala.