Mohini - 05

by Raja Ravi Varma
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Details

Size: 21.5 x 15 inches (Framed)
Press: Ravi Varma Press, Karla-Lonavala
Condition: Good Condition
Medium: Oleograph
Signature: Bottom Left
Year: 1930s

Description

This is a Ravi Varma oleograph of “Mohini”, the only female avatar of the god Vishnu. She is an enchantress, who maddens lovers, sometimes leading them to their doom. An ultimate form of beauty, Mohini's weapon is Maya (illusion). In Indian classical and folk mythology, she is known to have beguiled and tricked demons to save humanity and divinity alike. Mohini also appears in the epic the Mahabharata in the form of Vishnu - she acquires the pot of Amrita (an elixir of immortality) from the thieving asuras (demons), and gives it back to the devas (gods), helping them retain their immortality.
This oleograph is from the 1930s. The details at the bottom state it was printed as part of a "Competition Edition", at the Ravi Varma Press, Karla-Lonavala.
  • ABOUT Raja Ravi Varma

    Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was a celebrated Indian artist, famous for his realistic portrayal of Indian gods, goddesses and mythological characters, in scenes adapted mainly from the Mahabharata, Ramayana and the Puranas.

    Considered to be one of the greatest painters in the history of Indian art, Ravi Varma fused European techniques with a pure Indian sensibility. Though a protégé of royalty, Raja Ravi Varma was the first to make prints (or lithographs) of his artworks affordable and easily available, bringing fine art to the masses. In fact, the Raja Ravi Varma Press was started in Mumbai by him in 1894, and managed by his brother Raja Varma, before being bought over by a German company. 

    An original 1890 Ravi Varma oil on canvas, titled 'Radha In The Moonlight' was sold for a whopping Rs. 20 crores at a Pundole auction in November 2016.

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  • ABOUT Oleographs

    Oleographs, also called chromolithographs, are multi-colour art prints, stemming from the process of lithography. Pioneered in the 1830s, the process of producing oleographs came into wide commercial use in the 1860s. The technique relied on using several woodblocks or stones with colours for printing, while hand-colouring remained an important aspect as well. Depending on the number of colours present, an oleograph could take months to produce by very skilled workers. Poor preservation and cheaper printing alternatives have made oleographs hard to find. Today, they are mainly used as fine art.

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