SHANTANU MATSYAGANDHA
Lithograph on Paper
Circa
1910
Size (cms)
35.5 X 50
Artist
Raja Ravi Varma - Active
Raja Ravi Varma (1848–1906) was a celebrated Indian painter known for blending European academic art techniques with Indian subjects, making classical Indian art accessible to the masses. Born into an aristocratic family in Kerala, Varma mastered oil painting and is renowned for his depictions of scenes from Indian epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana. He often portrayed Indian gods, goddesses, and historical figures with lifelike realism, drawing inspiration from traditional Indian aesthetics and the techniques of Western realism. His works not only influenced Indian art but also popularized mythological characters across the country, partly due to his pioneering efforts in lithography, which made his paintings widely available as prints.
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Publisher
Ravi Varma Press Picture Depot, Bombay.
Printer
Ravi Varma Press, Karla - Lonavla.- Active
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The lithograph Shantanu Matsyagandha by Raja Ravi Varma beautifully captures the fateful encounter between King Shantanu of Hastinapura and Matsyagandha by the Yamuna River. Shantanu, known for his wisdom and nobility, is depicted seated on a log, mesmerized by Matsyagandha’s beauty and divine fragrance. She stands modestly in the river, her expression reflecting grace, humility, and quiet strength.
Matsyagandha, the daughter of a fisher chief, was originally born with the scent of fish. However, Sage Parashara, enchanted by her beauty, blessed her with an eternal divine fragrance, renaming her Satyavati. When Shantanu expressed his desire to marry her, her father agreed on the condition that their future son would inherit the throne. Bound by his duty to his eldest son, Devavrata (Bhishma), Shantanu was heartbroken but remained silent. Seeing his father’s sorrow, Devavrata took the legendary Bhishma Pratigya, vowing lifelong celibacy to ensure Satyavati’s lineage ruled Hastinapura.
The serene backdrop of the Yamuna River, a fisherman’s boat, and the lush landscape add to the ethereal charm of this historic moment, which played a crucial role in shaping the events of the Mahabharata.
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