Sudha's Creative Journey

What inspired me

Among so many paintings of Raja Ravi Varma’s that I deeply admire, this is one. 

The lady conveys, in a single glance, a certain shyness, a tantalising look of underplayed eagerness and childlike innocence. Not to mention the superlative beauty of her lips, the arch of her brow, the translucence of her skin. 

She enhances the beauty of the silk she wears, of the rubies and pearls around her throat, of the earpieces (that were in vogue then) and the jhumkas that adorn her ears! The hand tentatively holding her pallu adds to the beauty of the bangles around her wrists...

Raja Ravi Varma was a pioneer in introducing oil paintings into the Indian art world. He was unparalleled in bringing to life the sheen of silk and zari, the shimmer of pearls, the sparkle of gems, the subdued glimmer of gold in his paintings. In his detailing of finery, he was beyond compare.

He was also the man who gave identifiable  human faces to Gods and Goddesses that would thereafter adorn the temples and homes across the country. And they continue to do so till date. He was taken to court for this by the purists of his time.

My painting of his 'Woman holding a Fruit' is a humble tribute to his genius.