A date with Raja Ravi Varma
Over the weekend, Piramal Museum of Art unveiled Pages of a Mind, Raja Ravi Varma: Life and Expressions, an exhibition that celebrated the works of iconic artist and painter, Raja Ravi Varma. Hailed as one of the greatest painters of Indian art, he was known for making affordable lithographs of his paintings, which contributed to his reach and influence as an artist and public figure. “The last time when a Raja Ravi Varma show was held in Mumbai, was about 20 years ago, at the NGMA. We wanted to showcase never-seen-before artworks. We asked friends and collectors who owned single pieces or even two, to share their collections,” said Dr Swati Piramal. “Two paintings from our collection were also displayed. This is a common practice overseas; it’s happening in India for the first time,” she added. Some paintings to watch out for include one about Sita being taken in by mother earth. “Notice the expression on Ram, Sita and their sons. The one depicting Sita’s wedding shows how young she was, and reflects on society of the time. Another interesting work shows a begum preparing for her bath with a Siddhi woman. It offers a glimpse of tracing the migration of the Siddhi community in Hyderabad.” The works will be on display at Peninsula Corporate Park in Lower Parel till April 30.

State of the art: Swati Piramal does a walkabout with Dolly Thakore for Pages of a Mind, an exhibition of Raja Ravi Varma’s artworks in Lower Parel, over the weekend. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar