Q. With reference to the life and contributions of Raja Ravi Varma, consider the following statements:
1.He belonged to the royal family of Travancore in modern-day Kerala.
2.Founded the Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press in Bombay in 1894 to mass-produce his artwork.
3.Formally granted the title of Raja through the award of the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal by Lord Lytton in 1877.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer: A
Notes:
Detailed Explanation:
- Statement 1 is correct: He was born into the Kilimanoor royal lineage in Travancore, Kerala, and is considered the father of modern Indian art for pioneering the fusion of Indian imagery with Western oil painting techniques.
- Statement 2 is correct: He established this press in Bombay in 1894. This innovative step allowed for the mass production of affordable lithographs of his paintings, making his depictions of Indian mythological figures popular across diverse social classes.
- Statement 3 is incorrect: While he was always addressed as Raja due to his royal connections, the title was formally and officially recognized by the British administration only in 1904. It was Lord Curzon who bestowed the Kaisar-i-Hind Gold Medal on him in that year, and the accompanying citation officially used the title Raja for the first time. Lord Lytton’s 1877 Delhi Durbar had no connection to this specific honor.
