Why can we think of Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings as national?

Raja Ravi Verma was one of the first artists who tried to create a style that was both modern and national. Ravi Verma belongs to the family of the Maharajas of Travancore in Kerala and was addressed as Raja.

Verma painted themes from Indian Mythology. The characters from these mythologies had a pan-India appeal. He dramatized on Canvas scene after scene from Ramayana and Mahabharata, drawing on the theatrical performances of witnessed during his tour of the Bombay presidency.

From the 1880s, Raja Verma’s mythological paintings became the rage among Indian priests and art collectors, who filled their place galleries with the works.

Prepared a team of artists: Responding to the huge popular appeal of such paintings Ravi Verma decided to set up a picture production team and printing press of his religious painting were mass produced even the poor could now buy these cheap prints.