Judith

At Kilimanur, Ravi Varma and his brother C. Raja Raja Varma housed a large collection of art books, catalogues, postcards and photographs, accumulated while on their many travels, and which served as their constant source material. When required, Ravi Varma did not hesitate to incorporate Western classical postures or heroic stances into his own works.

There is perhaps, one known example of Ravi Varma replicating a European painting in its entirety instead of a partial adaptation. On his visit to Baroda in 1888, Ravi Varma had seen Judith, painted by Benjamin Constant in 1886. Judith was a forceful theme and a popular motif with European painters for centuries because it justified the painting of a scantily-dressed 'temptress' while reinforcing the notion of patriotism and courage.