Ravishankar Raval facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ravishankar Raval
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Kalaguru Ravishankar Raval
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| Born | 1 August 1892 Bhavnagar, Gujarat
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| Died | 9 December 1977 (aged 85) Ahmedabad, Gujarat
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| Nationality | Indian |
| Alma mater | Sir J. J. School of Art |
| Occupation | painter, art critic, journalist, essayist |
| Spouse(s) |
Ramaben
(m. 1909) |
| Children | Narendra, Gajendra, Kanak |
| Awards |
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Ravishankar Raval (1892–1977) was a famous artist from Gujarat, India. He was a talented painter, a teacher, and a writer. He worked for a magazine called Vismi Sadi. Later, he started his own popular cultural magazine, Kumar.
Contents
Ravishankar Raval's Early Life
Ravishankar Raval was born in Bhavnagar, India, on August 1, 1892. His father worked for the British Communication Service. Because of his father's job, Ravishankar moved to many different towns as a child. He felt that his artistic talent came from his mother.
He finished high school in 1909. During his first year of college, his principal asked him to paint stage sets for a play. A professor named Sanjana noticed his artistic skills. This professor encouraged him to study art. Even though his father did not approve, Ravishankar joined the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai. There, he learned from the principal, Cecil Burns.
Ravishankar was a very promising art student. He was good at painting realistic portraits. However, he decided to follow a new style of Indian art. This style was becoming popular and focused on Indian culture. He stuck to these ideas, even when people criticized his work. For example, one of his paintings, 'Bilwamangal', won a gold medal. But another artist called it "a printed label on mill cloth." In 1916, he received the Mayo Gold Medal from the Sir J. J. School of Art.
His Amazing Career in Art
In 1915, Ravishankar met a well-known journalist, Hajji Mohammad Alarakhiya. Hajji Mohammad was looking for a young artist to draw pictures for his new magazine, Visami Sadi (The Twentieth Century). Ravishankar joined him and moved to Ahmedabad. In 1919, he opened an art school there.
He worked for Visami Sadi until 1921. The magazine closed when Hajji Mohammad sadly passed away. Ravishankar was inspired by Visami Sadi. In 1924, he started his own cultural magazine called Kumar in Ahmedabad. This magazine is still published today! Kumar had a big impact on art in Gujarat. It was famous for its beautiful drawings and new ways of printing text.
Ravishankar drew a famous painting of Mahatma Gandhi's trial in 1922. No cameras were allowed at the trial, so his painting is a very important record. In 1927, he spent a month studying ancient paintings. These were the 1st-century frescos in the Ajanta Caves. In 1936, he traveled to Japan for three months to study art.
He also attended a big meeting of the Indian National Congress in 1938. There, he painted many pictures. In 1941, he visited Rabindranath Tagore's university, Santiniketan. He became the President of the Art Society of India and the Bombay Art Society in 1941. In 1948, he stayed with the Russian artist Nicholas Roerich at his art center. He also went on an art tour to Soviet Russia in 1952.
Other Important Artworks
Ravishankar Raval did many other important works. He created wonderful drawings for Chandapoli, a children's magazine in Gujarati. He also illustrated Bawlana Parakramo (1939). This was a Gujarati version of the famous Pinocchio story. He drew many paintings of historical figures. These included Narsinh Mehta, Mirabai, and Akho. His paintings helped people imagine what these characters looked like. He also painted characters from the novels of Kanaiyalal Munshi.
He designed realistic sets for Narsinh Mehta. This was the very first Gujarati talkie film, meaning it had sound.
Ravishankar wrote his life story called Gujarat Ma Kala Na Pagran. This book was reissued in 2010 and included some of his artworks.
He passed away on December 9, 1977, at his home in Ahmedabad.
Ravishankar Raval's Unique Style
Ravishankar developed his own special art style. It was inspired by traditional Indian paintings. He was also influenced by the religious paintings of Raja Ravi Varma. The open art studios of Rabindranath Tagore also influenced him. This led him to create the Gujarat Chitra Kala Sangh.
The Gujarati author Kakasaheb Kalelkar gave him the title Kalaguru. This means "master of art." He earned this title for his great contributions to art in Gujarat. His art school helped many famous Indian artists, like Kanu Desai, get their start.
Awards and Recognition
Ravishankar Raval received many awards during his career.
- He won the Mayo Gold Medal from Sir J. J. School of Art in 1916.
- He received a Gold medal from the Bombay Art Society in 1917.
- In 1923, he won second prize at an art expo in Kolkata.
- He received the Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak in 1930. This is the highest literary award in Gujarati literature. He won it for his essays about art.
- He also received the Kalidas Prize in 1925.
- In 1965, he won the Nehru Award for his book about Russia.
- Later in 1965, he was awarded the Padma Shri. This is the fourth highest civilian award in India.
- In 1970, he was accepted as a Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi.
Personal Life
Ravishankar Raval married Ramaben in 1909. They had three sons: Narendra, Gajendra, and Kanak. Kanak Raval lives in the USA, while his two brothers have passed away.
