Untitled (Damayanti)

In this painting, one can tell that Ravi Varma strove to impart the same beauty to his Damayanti that had been written about so poetically in literary sources. Each element in the picture works in harmony to elevate it beyond just a decorative painting into a meaningful depiction of one of Indian mythology's most romantic epics. Even in modern times, this scene and subject matter are considered amongst Raja Ravi Varma's most iconic compositions and popular in numerous households.
The gold ornamentation and borders of the womens' saris leap from the canvas while their bodies are both poised yet dynamic at the same time. The veranda floor is strewn with delicate flowers drawing the eyes to the emerging shadows and contrasting light effects from the moody skies above; jointly creating a tranquil yet moving ambiance. Interestingly, the scene was originally meant to be on a sunlit terrace but was glossed with a varnish that was too dark and the oleograph was converted into a night scene with a hand painted crescent moon.
Many of Varma’s most iconic compositions were adapted from photos of theatrical productions or illustrations of Old Master paintings and other images in European magazines. Varma had a large collection of these and often referred to them to draw inspiration for his model’s faces and poses. This painting for instance, was inspired by a photo circa 1900 from the theater show called, The Feast of Roses, L’inamorata. It is fascinating to see first-hand how Varma took the posture and stance of the European woman and transformed her features into his vision of idealised Indian beauty.
This work was auctioned at Sotheby's, New York in 2017 for $1,692,500.