Draupadi Sudeshna
Raja Ravi Varma1896
The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation
Bengaluru, India
DRAUPADI AND SUDESHNA: Darupadi was the wife of the five Pandavas. She was also called Panchali. After the twelve years of exile in the forest, Panchali lived incognito with the name Sairendri in the palace of King Virata. She served as one of the attendants of the princess, Sudeshna. Sudeshna was the wife of King Virata.
Keechaka, the brother of Sudeshna fell in love with Sairendri and requested Sudeshna to bring him Sairendri. Sudeshna agrees and compels Sairendri to see Keechaka. Keechaka thereafter tries to molest Sairendri and Bhimasena killed him.
This print by the Ravi Varma Press derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma depicts the act of Sudeshna compelling Draupadi or Sairendri to go and see Keechaka.
- Title: Draupadi Sudeshna
- Creator: Raja Ravi Varma, Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press, Bombay
- Date Created: 1896
- Physical Dimensions: 50 x 35 cms
- Provenance: The Hemamalini and Ganesh Shivaswamy collection, Bengaluru.
- Subject Keywords: Raja Ravi Varma, Gigapixel
- Type: Chromolithograph
- Rights: The Ganesh Shivaswamy Foundation, Bengaluru
- 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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