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Bharata and the Lions
Raja Ravi Varma
The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation
Bengaluru, India
A rare sketch by Raja Ravi Varma of Bharata and the Lions. Bharata (also called Sarvadamana- "the subduer of all") was the son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala who gave birth to her child who was named Sarvadamana by the sage Kanva. Surrounded only by wild animals, Sarvadamana grew to be a strong child and made a sport of opening the mouths of tigers and lions and counting their teeth. In this sketch, the child Bharata is seen in the company of lions and is carrying their cubs in his arms.
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Details
- Title: Bharata and the Lions
- Creator: Raja Ravi Varma
- Location: India
- Physical Dimensions: 24 x 34 cms
- Type: Sketch
- Original Source: Collection of DAG- New Delhi, Mumbai, New York.
- Rights: Curatorial Rights: The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, Bengaluru.
- Medium: Graphite on Paper
- Creator's Lifetime: 1848-04-29/1906-10-02
- Creator's Biography: Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was a prolific Indian artist who is recognized for his resorting to the academic realistic style of painting. His portraits of English and Indian royalty and aristocracy were well received. His paintings on Hindu religious and mythological subjects and paintings from classical and literary sources were highly sought after even during his lifetime. He painted several copies of his works and this demand led to the suggestion to have his paintings printed in the form of oleographs. The Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press was established in Bombay (now Mumbai) and commenced operations in 1894. Many of Ravi Varma's paintings were printed as chromolithographs at this Press. These chromolithographs would have a tremendous impact on religion, society and aesthetics. They went on to democratize art leading to immortalize Ravi Varma in the minds of the people of the Indian subcontinent.
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