Ganga and Bhishma

Description

Originally published by the Ravi Varma Press, this chromolithograph entered various private collections and public archives documenting early Indian mass printed art.

Historical context

This poignant masterpiece captures a heartbreaking moment from the Mahabharata, where the celestial river goddess Ganga prepares to release her newborn son Devavrata, later known as Bhishma, into the sacred waters. Bound by a divine curse and her vow to free the Vasus from mortal suffering, Ganga carries out her tragic duty with a visage of profound sorrow and serene resolve. Raja Ravi Varma brilliantly bridges classical Indian epic storytelling with Western academic realism, immortalizing the sorrow of a mother both divine and mortal. The billowing drapery of her vibrant orange sari reflects the rushing winds and currents of her celestial domain, while her tender yet resolute grip on the infant speaks volumes of the eternal sacrifice woven into the tapestry of the cosmos.