Original Oleograph - Ravi Varma Press(1892-1972) -Raas Krida - 14x10 inch on Paper

Raja Ravi Verma (1848-1906) learnt to paint from Ramaswamy Nayadu from Tanjore gharana and British painter Theodore Jensen, a guest of Maharaja of Travancore. He was overwhelmed when he was introduced to oil painting. It opened up a brave new world for him. His paintings were based on the theatrical conceptions of Hindu gods and goddesses, mythology. He became a household name, as his work was in great demand and had a clientele of British, European and Indian buyers. He also received large commissions from the royal families of Mysore, Baroda, Pudukottai and Bhavnagar. Charged with the idea of a printing press, he started Ravi Verma Fine art Lithographic press in Bombay. His prints of Gods and legends were seen in every possible Indian home. Later the press was sold to German technician Fritz Schneider.In 1972 a fire destroyed the press leaving behind an invaluable heritage of Raja Ravi Vermas Oleographed gods. And even after a hundred years it is interesting to note that Ravi verma Press is a landmark in Indian art, for being a pioneer in the field of printing and then moving from the walls of aristocratic homes to bazaars and back to museums and art galleries.