An unfinished painting by Raja Ravi Varma, who redefined Indian art traditions during the colonial times, will soon be in the public domain. The painting ‘Parsi Lady’, now owned by the Kilimanoor Palace Trust, was the last painting (unfinished) by the legendary artist. He died on October 2, 1906, inside ‘Chithrashala,’ the artist’s studio at Kilimanoor Palace, leaving the painting unfinished.
Now, the Palace Trust has decided to unveil the painting along with another painting — the portrait of Thriketta Thirunal Uma Amma Thampuratti — which has also not been displayed yet, on the occasion of the 175th birth anniversary of Ravi Varma, who was born into the aristocracy at Kilimanoor in the erstwhile Travancore on April 29, 1848.
Rama Varma Thampuran, general secretary, Kilimanoor Palace Trust, told The Hindu that ‘Parsi Lady’ had a lot of specialities as it provided a glimpse into the Mumbai life of Ravi Varma and his association with people like filmmaker Dada Saheb Phalke, who was then an employee at the press owned by Ravi Varma. “We assume that the painting was a visual adaptation of a Parsi woman he came to know in Mumbai,” said Mr. Thampuran.
