‘The Forgotten Atelier’ chronicles the overlooked masters of Raja Ravi Varma’s era
Sharat Sunder Rajeev's new book, 'The Forgotten Atelier', explores the overlooked history of art in Kerala, specifically highlighting female artists and lesser-known painters from the Raja Ravi Varma era.
Why it matters
The book contributes to a more inclusive understanding of Indian art history by documenting the contributions of women and marginalized artists often overshadowed by famous figures.
When thinking of art in Kerala, the name that usually springs to mind is Raja Ravi Varma. But the region has a richer artistic heritage featuring everything from mural paintings to Deccani miniatures. Sharat Sunder Rajeev, whose first book on the ivory carving tradition of Travancore was published by the Kerala Council for Historical Research, opens up this world of durbar painters, female artists, and itinerant European masters in his new book The Forgotten Atelier (White Falcon Publishing). Excerpts from an email interview with Rajeev, who teaches at the Department of Architecture & Planning at the College of Engineering, Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala’s greatest art ‘export’ is Raja Ravi Varma. Yet, your book brings out a little-known detail: that the earliest painters in his family were women. Tell us more.
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