Krishna Drishta Vintage Chromolithograph | Ravi Udaya FAL Press, Ghatkopar | Original Wooden Frame

This original vintage Krishna Drishta chromolithograph reproduces Raja Ravi Varma's celebrated 1888 composition depicting the viewing of the infant Krishna. The scene captures the tender domestic world surrounding the young Krishna, with family and visitors gathered to see the divine child.

The title Krishna Drishta, or Krishna Drishti, refers here to the act of beholding Krishna, rather than simply the protective gaze of the deity. Ravi Varma's composition presents the sacred through an intimate human scene, bringing together devotion, family life and the visual traditions of Indian storytelling. The infant Krishna is placed at the centre of attention, transforming an everyday act of visiting a newborn into a moment of divine significance.

Raja Ravi Varma painted the original Krishna Drishta in 1888, as part of his larger body of work interpreting episodes and characters from Hindu mythology through a naturalistic visual language. His paintings combined Indian subjects and narratives with the realism and compositional techniques of European academic art, helping create a new visual vocabulary for Indian mythological painting.

This example is a chromolithographic reproduction, produced through successive colour printing to recreate the richly coloured appearance of the original painting. Published by Ravi Udaya FAL Press, Ghatkopar, Mumbai, it belongs to the wider tradition of twentieth-century Indian commercial devotional printing, when regional presses helped circulate images of gods, mythological stories and popular paintings to homes and places of worship across the country.

The work is particularly interesting as part of the history of Ravi Varma-inspired Indian prints. Oleographic and chromolithographic reproductions of his compositions played an important role in taking imagery that had once existed primarily as paintings into a much wider popular audience.

Presented in its original vintage wooden frame, the print retains its period character and presentation. The artwork and frame show age-related wear and naturally developed patina consistent with their vintage nature. The original glass has been replaced with protective acrylic to make the work safer for handling, display and shipping.

Preservation & Restoration

Frame Evaluation: The original vintage wooden frame has been carefully examined for structural stability and preserved wherever possible to retain the artwork's period presentation.

Protective Acrylic: The original glass has been replaced with high-quality acrylic to provide greater protection during handling and display while maintaining visual clarity.

Backboard Conservation: Where deteriorated metal backing is present, it is replaced with archival-quality high-density fiberboard to reduce the risk of corrosion and moisture-related damage.

Our approach is intentionally conservative. Restoration is undertaken to protect the artwork and extend its life while retaining the original age, patina and visual character of the print.

Details

Artist: Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906), after the 1888 painting
Title: Krishna Drishta
Subject: Viewing of the infant Krishna
Medium: Vintage chromolithograph / colour print
Publisher: Ravi Udaya FAL Press, Ghatkopar, Mumbai
Tradition: Indian devotional and popular print art
Frame: Original vintage wooden frame
Glazing: Protective acrylic; original glass replaced
Dimensions: H 11 × L 15 × D 1 in
Condition: Vintage condition with age-related wear, minor imperfections and naturally developed patina consistent with age. Please refer to the photographs, which form an integral part of the description.
Authenticity: Comes with an authenticity certificate from The Blue Trunk.