Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the Raja Ravi Varma Art Gallery on the Napier Museum premises on Monday, calling it a tribute to the genius of one of the foremost artists in the history of the nation.
Mr. Vijayan said the new gallery had the largest collection of Ravi Varma paintings in India. It was also a matter of great joy that the art gallery was being opened at a time when the 175th birth anniversary of the artist was being celebrated in different parts of the world, he added.
Indian traditions and western techniques harmoniously blend in Ravi Varma’s works, which marked a renaissance in Indian art, the Chief Minister said. While Ravi Varma was celebrated across the globe, Kerala was yet to recognise his true worth, the Chief Minister said, stressing the need to protect and cherish his works.
