Description Published at the Ravi Varma Press, Malavli, Lonavla by Raja Ravi Varma chromolithograph with fabric appliqué This rare oleograph depicts Shakuntala laying on grass, writing a letter on a lotus leaf to her lover Dushyanta. The idyllic scene unfolds within a forest, near a river, with her friends Anasuya and Priyamvada seated beside her. In the background, a startled deer gazes back at the trio. Inspired by Kalidasa’s play, Abhijnanasakuntalam, this scene was initially captured in oil by Raja Ravi Varma in 1876 and later reproduced as an oleograph. The original painting garnered acclaim when it was showcased at the Madras Fine Arts Exhibition of the same year. Ravi Varma occupies an important place in Indian art history. He developed a painting style that appropriated the illusionary techniques of European oil painting with traditional Indian subject matter. The popularity of Ravi Varma’s paintings gave him the idea to make oleographs that would be available to the general public, instead of only elite patrons. Oleographs, also called chromolithographs, are multi-colour art prints, stemming from the process of lithography. These immensely popular chromolithographs from the Ravi Varma press quickly set a new iconographical standard for the traditional Indian heroes and deities. Often the figures were embellished with embroidered sequins and other decorative material, creating vibrant pulsating images. Image Size (cms): 34.5 (H) x 49.5 (W) Image Size (inches): 13.6 (H) x 19.5 (W) Framed Size (cms): 48.5 (H) x 62 (W) Framed Size (inches): 19 (W) x 24.5 (H)
