The first commissioned painting by the modernist painter Raja Ravi Varma, Kizhakke Palat Krishna Menon and Family
, Photo Credit: Delhi Art Gallery
in the intimate place of Delhi Art Gallery (DAG)A historical painting is in discussion inside the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Colaba. This is a family portrait of Raja Ravi Varma, India’s first modernist painter. The work, a horizontal oil-on-canvas, depicts a man, a woman and their three children.
It goes back to Calicut of the 1870s, and was found in transit by a family painter Mookambika on his way home from the temple town. Rarely has Ravi Varma included five people in a single picture while making a portrait. In the composition, the senior-most member (seated on the right) is Mangalore Sub-Judge Kizhakke Palat Krishna Menon. On the other side is his wife Palat Induli Amma. Standing behind his parents is the eldest son, KP Krishna Menon, who went on to become a barrister in Madras. The boy next to her is her brother Raman, who later becomes Rt. Honorable. KP Raman Menon, one of the founders of the Congress Party in Kerala. The girl in her mother’s arms is the future Lady Sankaran Nair, wife of Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair, an Advocate General of Madras, a member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, and President of the Indian National Congress.
Self portrait of Raja Ravi Varma | Photo Credit: The Hindu Archives
The personalities of the subjects, though objectively gloomy, are visible through the eyes of intent: the couple appear confident, the son in the back appears curious, the son in the foreground looks nervous, and the daughter flaunts curiosity and mischief. There are eyes. This is a photographic painting. Verma’s brush breathes through the intricate, luxurious details – the hair, the jewellery, the two children clutching bananas in their hands, the head of a wooden stick hanging from the man’s wrist, the flowers that adorn the woman’s hair. down to the resplendent, dull-golden, textured embroidery on the diaphanous cloth that hangs from the man’s shoulder. This attention to detail is quintessential Ravi Varma.
The painting’s historicity rests there, but also for another big reason. It is the artist’s first authorized painting – the beginning of his professional career. Prior to this, he had patrons from royal families and aristocracy. He was a nobleman himself, and in that century of artistic practice it was considered blasphemous to accept money for a painting. Kishore Singh, curator of the Delhi Art Gallery, says, “This is probably the first painting by an Indian artist. And in a way, the entire professional career of Ravi Varma, who has created his artistic legacy at home and abroad, begins from this point.
job title Kizhakke Palat Krishna Menon and Family, part of this year’s Mumbai Gallery Weekend (12-15 January), featuring 15 shows of modern and contemporary works by artists such as Atul Dodiya (Chemold Prescott), Apnavi Makanji (Taarak), Smita Kinkle and Rajesh Wankhede (Tao) Huh. and Nancy Adajania (Anupa Mehta Art Consultant). The painting is going on public display for the first time.
Drawing from popular Indian cinema, Atul Dodiya created paintings featuring iconic characters in his distinctive realistic style. in Chemold Prescott.
This is one of many works by the modernists that the DAG will display in a group show in Delhi in February – all with specific historicities and contexts that make them stand out among the works of the featured artists, as well as in art itself Let’s make History of Indian Modern Art. One of his rare works from the 1960s, MF Hussain’s love story is also expected to come out.
The author is a writer and critic based in Mumbai.