Kädambari
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 28.5 in × 20 in (72.5 cms × 51 cms.)
Year: Circa late 1890's
Publication History:
Illustrated in the book titled "Raja Ravi Varma - Painter of Colonial India" by Rupika Chawla, published by Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad in 2010, pages, page 247
Illustrated in the book titled "Contemporary Art in Asia - A Critical Reader", edited by Melissa Chiu and Benjamin Genocchio, published by The MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts - USA and London - England, page 31 (black & white) and page 279 (color).
Illustrated on the Cover of the book titled "Raja Ravi Varma - A Novel" by Ranjit Desai translated from Marathi by Vikrant Pande, published by HarperCollins, New Delhi A love story to which even the divine conspired A face that launched a thousand products
A painting such as'Kadambari' has four dimensions the three you see, and the story behind the artwork..
that is the fourth.
Kadambari is a story of pining in love and that of divine consolation. One that is of passionate longing for a union, that even vanquishes death. The story revolves around the singular resolve of it's heroine, Kadambari to renounce her matrimonial bliss and follow her friend Mahashveta to death. Her intent to sacrifice her life for friendship forces the divine intervention on each of their destinies, wherein the two heroines and the two heroes are reborn twice on Earth, leading to the reunion of Kadambar with her love Chandrapeeda and of Mahashveta, with her love Pundarika.
Kadambari embodics the strength and the beauty of the sacred feminine. The late Raja Ravi Varma
"Kadambari" celebrates eternal love, one that is free from the cycle of birth and death thereby celebrating life itself, depicted by the late artist by way of what is undoubtedly, the most beautiful depiction of feminine strength and beauty.