{"product_id":"vintage-ravi-varma-annapurna-oleograph-shiva","title":"Vintage Raja Ravi Varma Annapurna Oleograph | Annapurna Devi Offering Food to Shiva","description":"\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA vintage \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaja Ravi Varma oleograph depicting Goddess Annapurna seated and offering grains to Shiva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, an important subject in the visual tradition of Indian devotional art. The composition presents Annapurna as the divine provider of food and nourishment, while Shiva stands before her with his hands extended to receive the grains. The simple act of giving and receiving food forms the central narrative of the image.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnapurna is richly dressed and adorned with jewellery, seated with a composed and dignified presence. Opposite her stands Shiva, identifiable by his ascetic appearance and traditional attributes. The contrast between the two figures is central to the meaning of the composition: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnapurna, the giver of nourishment, becomes the provider even to Shiva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, one of the principal deities of Hinduism.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnapurna and the Story of Shiva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnapurna is regarded as a manifestation of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGoddess Parvati\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and is traditionally associated with food, nourishment, abundance, and the sustaining force of life. Her name comes from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eanna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, meaning food or grain, and \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003epurna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, meaning full, complete, or abundant.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe image refers to a well-known Hindu narrative in which Shiva dismisses the material world, including food, as ultimately illusory. Parvati withdraws from the world, causing food to disappear and life to suffer. She subsequently appears as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnnapurna\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the goddess who provides nourishment. When Shiva approaches her, she offers him food, demonstrating that physical sustenance is fundamental even to spiritual existence.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe grains being placed into \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eShiva's extended hands\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e are therefore central to the image. Grain represents nourishment, fertility, prosperity, abundance, and the continuation of life. The scene can be read as a visual recognition that the material and spiritual worlds are interdependent: the pursuit of spiritual knowledge cannot be separated from the basic necessities that sustain life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe composition also creates an important reversal of roles. Shiva, a powerful and ascetic deity, becomes the recipient, while Annapurna assumes the role of provider. The act of feeding therefore becomes a representation of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003edivine generosity and the essential power of nourishment\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaja Ravi Varma and Indian Oleographs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaja Ravi Varma (1848–1906)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern Indian visual culture. He is particularly known for combining European academic painting techniques with subjects from Hindu mythology, the Indian epics, and classical literature.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHis paintings were transformed into widely circulated \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoleographs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, allowing images of Hindu deities to move beyond palaces, temples, and elite collections into ordinary Indian homes. The resulting prints played an important role in the development of modern \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIndian devotional imagery and popular visual culture\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOleography was a colour-printing process that reproduced paintings in a form that could be produced in larger numbers than original works of art. Ravi Varma's association with this medium, particularly through the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRavi Varma Press\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, helped establish a visual vocabulary for Hindu deities that remains influential in Indian popular and devotional art.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis work should therefore be understood as a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRavi Varma oleographic reproduction rather than an original painting by Raja Ravi Varma\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. Individual prints can vary in date, printing history, publisher, paper, and quality, and attribution to a particular Ravi Varma Press edition requires examination of the physical characteristics and any publisher or printer markings.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe oleograph retains its \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eoriginal wooden frame\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, preserving an important part of its period presentation. Framed devotional prints such as these were commonly displayed within domestic interiors, where they functioned simultaneously as religious images and objects of visual culture.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe original glass has been \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ereplaced with acrylic\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for safer handling and shipping. The acrylic provides a lighter and more resilient alternative to glass while retaining the framed presentation of the work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor collectors of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRaja Ravi Varma prints, Indian oleographs, chromolithographs, Hindu devotional art, Indian religious prints, and vintage Indian art\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, this Annapurna composition offers both visual and cultural significance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"isSelectedEnd\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eArtist:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSubject:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Goddess Annapurna offering food\/grain to Shiva\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMedium:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Vintage oleograph \/ colour print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eStyle:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Indian devotional and mythological art\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrame:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Original wooden frame\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGlazing:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Acrylic; original glass replaced\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePeriod:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Vintage; exact printing date to be determined from physical examination and publisher markings\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCondition:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e Vintage condition with age-related characteristics to the print and frame. The original wooden frame is retained. The original glass has been replaced with acrylic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Blue Trunk","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52229589139754,"sku":null,"price":13800.0,"currency_code":"INR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0677\/6297\/9114\/files\/1786437298629.png?v=1786438796","url":"https:\/\/www.thebluetrunk.in\/products\/vintage-ravi-varma-annapurna-oleograph-shiva","provider":"The Blue Trunk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}