Raja Ravi Varma
(1848 - 1906)
Untitled (Shiva)
In the present lot, Raja Ravi Varma depicts Shiva as Dakshinamurthy. Dakshinamurthy, literally "south facing," is a representation of Shiva as a divine teacher of spirituality and yoga, who imparts knowledge and wisdom of a cosmic scale. Shiva is typically depicted seated cross-legged, as seen in the present lot. As Yoga Dakshinamurthy, he is shown seated with his right leg lowered, and his left leg folded, bound by a band or yogapatta ,...
In the present lot, Raja Ravi Varma depicts Shiva as Dakshinamurthy. Dakshinamurthy, literally "south facing," is a representation of Shiva as a divine teacher of spirituality and yoga, who imparts knowledge and wisdom of a cosmic scale. Shiva is typically depicted seated cross-legged, as seen in the present lot. As Yoga Dakshinamurthy, he is shown seated with his right leg lowered, and his left leg folded, bound by a band or yogapatta , which holds that limb in a specified yogic position. Ravi Varma, always intimately familiar with Hindu mythology and iconography, combines these variations to show Shiva seated cross-legged, with a snake tied around his waist and leg as a nagapatta holding his leg in a folded position. Shiva's right arm is raised with his hand in a gesture of imparting knowledge, and he holds a manuscript and a kamandalu in his rear hands. These attributes and the leopard-skin wrapped around his waist reveal a life of austerity, yet it is not entirely so. In his left hand, the rosary is substituted with a string of pearls. His ornaments, graceful posture and noble features suggest the regal stature of Ravi Varma's royal patrons, with whom he was closely acquainted. Ravi Varma balances this specific interpretation of Dakshinamurthy with Shiva's more easily discernible features and popular associations. The snake, the third eye-representing wisdom as well as destruction, the crescent moon atop his hair, and the backdrop of Mount Kailash, his abode, would have been easily recognisable to a mass audience familiar with the iconography associated with Shiva's story.Shiva echoes some of Ravi Varma's earlier paintings in composition, notably Vishwamitra and Menaka (1890), which was later adapted for his lithographs. Currently in the collection of the Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum in Baroda, that paintingdepicts a resolute Vishwamitra resisting the charms of Menaka, a courtesan sent by Indra. Vishwamitra is seated cross-legged at an angle, not unlike the present lot, with his arms locked around his legs and his eyes fixed upwards to the heavens. However, where Vishwamitra's rigid pose suggests unease, in the present lot, Shiva's pose is calm and confident, marking a clear distinction between sage and god. When compared to the 1890 painting, the mood of the present lot and its religious implications are achieved with nuanced adjustments to the subject's features and posture, and to the backdrop. Herein lies Ravi Varma's genius. Thematically, Ravi Varma classified his paintings as Puranic (based on mythology) and religious. "The Puranic paintings are generally the large ones, with several figures caught in the midst of a dramatic action... the choice of scene had to be an unforgettable one within that particular narrative, which would invariably lead to a series of repercussions and consequences... Interspersed within these Puranic paintings are the religious ones, the interpretation of which is quite different from the earlier category. In the religious paintings the same gods and noble characters from the Puranas can illustrate a certain state of being, or present an iconic or decorative image." (Rupika Chawla, Raja Ravi Varma: Painter of Colonial India , Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 2010, p. 161) This distinction led Ravi Varma to approach both categories differently. Shiva could be interpreted as a religious painting, one where the god illustrates a state of being as Dakshinamurthy. It is free of the dramatic narrative seen in paintings such as Descent of Ganga , where the river goddess descends into the matted locks of Shiva, while Parvati and King Bhagiratha look on. Ravi Varma depicts Shiva with his family in several other paintings, while in the present lot, he is seated in solitude. The painting can be appreciated as a standalone work, devoid of any continuation in narrative.Shiva was painted in 1903, towards the end of the artist's illustrious career. The years 1903 and 1904 were marked by several successes. Ravi Varma and his younger brother, Raja Raja Varma, participated in the 1903-04 Exhibition of Fine Arts in Madras, where they won several medals. But there were also setbacks. Ravi Varma was forced to sell his printing press on 9 November 1903 for a sum of Rs 25,000 to its manager, Fritz Schleicher. The Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press was set up in Bombay in 1894, and had popularised Ravi Varma's religious and Puranic paintings across India, making his images of gods and goddesses indelible in the minds of the masses. Although forced to forfeit his enterprise, Ravi Varma's natural flair for networking and maintaining friendships won him support from the upper echelons of society, and he continued to receive royal patronage throughout his career. It is unclear if Shiva was painted as a royal commission; however, it was bequeathed to the present owner by his grandfather who, in turn, received the painting from the Nizam of Hyderabad in the 1940s.RAJA RAVI VARMA (1848 - 1906) Raja Ravi Varma is often called the "Father of Modern Indian Art." He was the first Indian artist of aristocratic lineage to depict conventional themes with stunning photorealism. Ravi Varma's commissions came from princely states and prosperous professionals across British India. His legendary talent would have perhaps been limited to an affluent crowd, had he not set up a printing press. Ravi Varma's combination of artistic talent, networking abilities and farsightedness certainly saw no precedents. Born on 29 April 1848 in Kilimanur, Ravi Varma was closely acquainted with the royal family of Travancore from a young age, and he frequently visited the Court. He was initially trained in the arts by his uncle Raja Raja Varma, but with the support of Maharaja Ayilyom Thirunal of Travancore, his pursuit of art developed into a lifelong passion. The Maharaja directed Ravi Varma to study and copy the European and indigenous paintings displayed at the palace, learn from court painters, and try his hand at oil colours. Ravi Varma's path to success was strewn with obstacles. It was uncommon for members of the aristocracy to take up a profession, and he grappled with the idea of an artistic career for a long time. Battling personal demons aside, court painters were unwilling to train him. But Ravi Varma succeeded with talent and determination. He received his first commission from a sub-judge of the Calicut Court in 1870, and shortly after, was awarded the 'Veerashringhala' by the Maharaja of Travancore. Ravi Varma's acquaintance with the Maharaja alone did not ease his entry into powerful and wealthy social circles. Among the several innovations of the late 19th century, the railways were closing the distance between provinces. Being of an itinerant nature and open to new experiences, Ravi Varma and his younger brother, Raja Raja Varma, travelled across India, seeking commissions wherever they went. Their travels also led to Ravi Varma's most enterprising initiative, and one that would make him a household name by the 20th century: the printing press. Bombay was an ideal location for the Ravi Varma Fine Arts Lithographic Press, which was established in 1894. The brothers set it up with the aim of making Ravi Varma's paintings accessible to audiences across the country. Ravi Varma was quick to seize on the mass appeal of prints and succeeded, but only for a few years. The printing press met with several failures, some of which were beyond the control of the brothers, and they ultimately sold it. Although a short-lived venture, the press cemented Ravi Varma's place in the annals of Indian art. Prints of his paintings of gods and goddesses became available to people for worship in their own homes, changing the fundamental relationship between the masses and priests. Towards the end of his life, Ravi Varma's art was overshadowed by a sweeping fervour of nationalism. Intellects who once praised his art criticised it for its adoption of Western techniques. Yet there were contemporaries who recognised the genius in him. As one observed wrote in an obituary following Ravi Varma's death on 2 October 1906, "His shall be the rare fortune of having lived a thousand lives in one, for he still lives and shall ever live in all his pictures."
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Lot
65
of
150
SUMMER ONLINE AUCTION
13-14 JUNE 2018
Estimate
Rs 3,00,00,000 - 5,00,00,000
$454,550 - 757,580
Winning Bid
Rs 3,60,00,000
$545,455
(Inclusive of Buyer's Premium)
ARTWORK DETAILS
Raja Ravi Varma
Untitled (Shiva)
Signed and dated 'Ravi Varma 1903' (lower right)
1903
Oil on canvas
29.5 x 21.5 in (74.7 x 54.9 cm)
NON-EXPORTABLE NATIONAL ART TREASURE REGISTERED ANTIQUITY
This painting bears an authentication certificate from the Raja Ravi Varma Heritage Foundation
PROVENANCE: Gifted by the Nizam of Hyderabad to the Tomar Family for services rendered, circa 1940s, by repute Thence by descent Private Collection, New Delhi Acquired from the above
Category: Painting
Style: Figurative
ARTWORK SIZE:
Height of Figure: 6'