Description:

           This is an oleograph portrait of Krishnarajendra Wadiyar IV, who reigned over the Kingdom of Mysore from 1894 to 1940,  one of the most celebrated rulers of his time, known for his patronage of art, music, and scholarship.

          The print was produced at the Ravi Varma Press, founded by Raja Ravi Varma,  the Indian artist celebrated for his monumental paintings of figures from the Mahabharata and Ramayana. Ravi Varma established four presses between 1894 and 1899, moving from Girgaum in Bombay to Ghatkopar, then to Malavli in Lonavala, where the press was lost to fire and finally to Karla, Lonavala in 1899. This print is from that fourth press.

       Oleography was the signature output of the Ravi Varma Press, a process that used oil-based inks applied in multiple passes to replicate the depth and texture of an oil painting. Each oleograph carried an information strip at the bottom recording the press, title, and registration details. Very few survive with this strip intact. This one does not it was trimmed by a previous owner, likely without awareness of its value.

What this print does carry is rarer still. A previous owner has embellished the Maharaja’s entire figure by hand in silk fabric, a labour of devotion that speaks to how deeply this portrait was valued. The silk today is gently faded and worn. Silk, by nature, takes decades of exposure to light, air, and time to reach this state, it does not fade in years. As silk ages, the fibres become brittle and the sheen gradually disappears. This quiet deterioration is not damage. It is evidence. In the absence of any other document or provenance record, the condition of the silk itself places this object firmly in another century. The wear is the proof of age.

What is lithography and Oleography?

The Greek word litho means ‘stone’ and graphein means ‘to write’ so Lithography can be defined as ‘stone printing’. The printing plate originally used were porous stones. The priting portion of the stone plate was treated to absorb ink and the nonprinting area was treated to repel ink. Depending on the number of colours present, an oleograph could take months to produce by very skilled workers.

The Oleography process is a variation of lithography, but instead of using a single stone or plate, multiple stones/ plates are used, each carrying a different color. Unlike regular lithographs, oleographs have multiple ink layers, giving them depth and richness. Oleographs often resemble oil paintings due to their glossy finish and thick ink application.

About the Ravi Varma Lithographic Press;

With support from Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, Raja Ravi Varma established the Fine Art Lithographic Press in 1894 at Girgaum, Bombay. Due to the 1896 plague, it was shifted to Ghatkopar, then to Malavli in 1898, and finally to Karla after a fire. In 1903, the press was sold to his German technician, Mr. Schleizer.

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Product Details:

SKUID: PLPRV0274

Product Name: Maharaja of Mysore - Embellished

Artist: Ravi Varma

Artist's Signature: Not Available

Dimensions: Frame: 24.5” x 18.8” x .8” ; Print: 20”x14”

Weight: 3.1 kgs

Press : Press details have been cut off by the previous owner, possibly during framing.

Age: From 1920-30s and hence may have some signs of fading which adds to it's beauty. 

Frame: Frame is made of Teak and would have an acrylic protection in place of glass. 

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Please do check the dimensions before you buy.