Shiva: Raja Ravi Verma

Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) was born in Kilimanoor Palace – Kerala as the son of Umamba Thampuratti and Neelakandan Bhattathiripad. At the age of seven years he started drawing on the palace walls using charcoal. His uncle Raja Raja Varma noticed the talent of the child and gave preliminary lessons on painting. At the age of 14, Ayilyam Thirunal Maharaja took him to Travancore Palace and he was taught water painting by the palace painter Rama Swamy Naidu. After 3 years Theodor Jenson, a British painter taught him oil painting.

First to use Oil on Canvas, First to Install Colour Printing Press, First to use Oil as Printing Media, First to produce Oliographs, First to copy his paintings for mass circulation, First use Art for National Integration, First to get International Award at Chicago.

First To be Awarded KAISER-I-HIND