Figure 1.--In the great Indian epic 'Mahabharata', Shantanu was a king of Kuru (northern India during the Vedic period). The painting by Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) depicts Shantanu meeting the fishergirl Satyavati--a very lkow status occupation. Notice her pole and net. She would become his wife and queen. Satyavati is depicted as a shirtless teenager, common dress at the time.

We know very little about individual Indian artists. At this time the only Indian artist we are familiar with is Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906). He is seen in India as one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art. This of course is a powerfful statement. He is known in India primarily for his evocative paintings which focus primarily with the Puranas (Indian mythology) and the great Indian epics - Mahabharata and Ramayana. Art schools opened during the Raj, but Varma is a rare Indian artist who suceded in a successful union of Indian tradition using the methods of European academic art. This is the essential reason he is so respected and widely seen as such an imoprtant Indian artist. He undeniably is the most most prominent Indian painter. He is a rare Indian artist know noutside of India. Varma highlighted the beauty of South Indian women at the peak of European racism. His paintings were nor just museum pieces. At the time of his death, lithography, including color lithography had been perfected. And his depictions of of the many Hindu dieties became important worship material for many people belonging to the lower castes who could afford printed images. For many these depictions pf the dieties are the primary popular representtion--rather like the Sallman Head of Jesus in America. Low caste people were at the time prohibited from entering temples. Thus the Varma's works were images to which they had access. Varma also managed to improve artistic knowledge and spread his idea of the importance of popular art. He unlike any other Indian artist captured the hearts the Indian people-at least the majority Hindus. Viceroy Lord Curzon, who unlike much of the British in India, was a huge devote of Indian art, honored him with the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal for his service in the furtherance of public interest.

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Created: 5:09 PM 2/19/2020
Last updated: 5:09 PM 2/19/2020