Ravishankar Raval and his influence on 'Art of Gujarat' : Kashyap Parikh

Abstract : Ravishankar Raval (1892–1977) was a painter, art teacher, art critic, journalist and essayist from Gujarat, India. Ravishankar Raval was born on 1 August 1892 in Bhavnagar. Though a promising student of the academic naturalism and realism taught at the J. J. School and a budding portrait painter, Raval gave up these influences to embrace the revival of Indian art that was then gaining ground. In the spirit of cultural nationalism, he held on to these ideas, despite harsh criticism, such as when the Rajput-art-style painting 'Bilwamangal' for which he won the Bombay Art Society gold medal. He received Mayo Gold Medal at Sir J. J. School of Art 1916. He had drawn the famous painting of the trial of Mahatma Gandhi's trial on charge of sedition on 18 March 1922 in the Circuit House of Ahmedabad where no cameras were allowed. He had participated in annual conference of Indian National Congress in Haripura in 1938 where he painted paintings. He was appointed as the President of Art Society of India and the President of Bombay Art Society in 1941. In 1948, he joined Russian artist Nicholas Roerich at his Kulu art center as the house guest. he was inspired to start new cultural magazine 'Kumar' at Ahmedabad in 1924, which is still published and about to complete 100 years. He was given the title of 'Kalaguru', the master of art for his contribution in art in Gujarat. He was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award of India, in 1965. He was accepted as the Fellow of the Lalit Kala Akademi in 1970.

Key words :  Painter, 'Kalaguru', Revival of Indian art in western India, Art of Gujarat.

Ravishankar Raval and his influence on 'Art of Gujarat'

It is believed that earth came into universe 200 million years ago and humans were born around 2 million years ago. Human-chain trying to explore different ideas, doing new inventions, expressing feelings, fighting with each other and establishing themselves at certain places is known as culture. This word is known to us since Vedic time. The magical appeal of our ancient art and revivalist attitude of present day artist and designer has strong visual connections. Ancient culture has strong roots, that could be useful for present day visual communications.

In surveying art development in Gujarat it is necessary to trace the proper background and some of the important phases of last century. In doing so the contribution of Ravishankar Raval has been most important. He has been considered 'KALAGURU' of Gujarat. It is well-known fact that religious fervor and state patronage constituted the strongest factor in promotion and development of Indian art in last century. In society of last century, in our country  mostly art and craft traditions were like family traditions. Every ruling prince in medieval India had in his court a band of painters, poets, musicians etc; the number varied with the status, taste and wealth of ruler. This princely patronage gave the artist a dignified and honorable livelihood and also enabled to carry on his traditional art. Also, all the religious and social festivals were closely linked with manifestations of art.

The mogul courts and durbars gave an honored position to those who practiced the fine arts; and it was during this period that the art of miniature portraiture painting reached its zenith. With the end of the Mogul Empire, the artists had to seek fortune elsewhere and they spread themselves out to different parts of the country. During the last quarter of the nineteenth century Western art was introduced into India and, under Government patronage, schools of Art were opened in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. The heads of these institutions were mostly English artists and, as England at that time did not occupy in the realm of art the first place compared with other European countries, we did not get the best teachers of the west. Nevertheless, they imparted knowledge and technique which enabled Indian students to acquire the Western academic outlook of realism in painting.

Thus, while in the cities art began to develop in western style and technique, in the rest of the country, in remote places including several States, the indigenous artists continued to paint in the traditional style, and manage as it may appear, each was blissfully ignorant of the existence of the other!

This anomalous position did not however, remain for long. In 1880 Principal Griffiths, by making the first copies of Ajanta Caves, brought to the notice of the world about glory of ancient Indian Art. Later, in 1910, E. B. Havell of the Calcutta School made a bold departure by declaring that Indian traditional art was so rich in style that there was no need to adopt the Western method for teaching art in this country.

There is no doubt that renaissance movement started in Bengal, and was eagerly followed by other parts of the country. In western India, particularly in Gujarat, the development of Indian painting owes much of the efforts of artists  Shri Ravishankar Raval and Shri Jagannath Ahivasi.

Ravishankar Raval was born on 1 August 1892 in Bhavnagar. He had his trainning at the Sir J. J. School of Art at Mumbai, directly under Prof. Dhurandhar and principal C. L. Burns(Cecil L. Burns). He started his study here in 1910. He also had one year of education at 'Kalabhavan', Baroda in year 1913. In 1917 he first made his mark by winning the Bombay Art Society's Gold Medal, which was prestige to be won as a student during those days. After completion of study he moved and settled in Ahemadabad. His continuous, sincere and quite work was responsible for the development of art in Gujarat. He has contributed perhaps the largest number of illustrations to Gujarati books and magazines. His pen drawings in the historical novels of famous author Shri K. M. Munshi are very well known. In order to give shape to the Art Movement and cultivate taste of the people for art and culture, he started "KUMAR' magazine in year 1924, which is still running regularly on monthly basis and about to complete its 100 years of publication. This Gujarati cultural magazine helped to popularise contemporary Indian art in Western India by introducing several artist of Gujarat and India. Another illustrated journal called "Vismi Sadi"("Twentieth Century") run by the late Haji mohamed Shivji, provided a new avenue for art by featuring paintings and sketches profusely.

In 1936, Mr. Raval toured the Far East and came in contact with some of the best artists of Japan and China. In his "kala Karni Sanskar Yatra", a travel diary profusely illustrated with his own sketches, he has covered the silent features of the style of art followed in this country as well as in the Far East. He also undertook lecture tours and travelled widely, more with the spirit of an enthusiast who was eager to learn the best in other than to propagate his own mannerism. Among Raval's popular paintings are "Bilva Mangal", "Music of Love", and "Bharat Mata". His reconstructed copies of Ajanta frescos executed at Sir Madhavlal Chinubhai's place are praiseworthy. He had presided over several art and literary gatherings, and through his speeches, writings and paintings has propagated the cause of Indian art. In his books, "Kala Chintan" and "Chitra Shrusti", he has enumerated his own views on art and life.

He was very popular as a teacher, as he became sympathetic guide to the young artist whose future he shaped. He has done several paintings on various themes and variety of mediums from water colour, oil, sculpture and pen drawings. He was fond of light wash technique. He is not one to whom we look for masterpieces, but he is undoubtedly one who has contributed much to the revival and development of the art movement in Gujarat. In 1922 he produced live painting on 'Gandiji's Trial' at Ahmedabad as in those days cameras were not allowed at court room.

Mr. Raval's most successful experiments in teaching have been at the art home he started, known as "Gujarat Kala Sangh". Prominent among his students who have become front-rank artists are Kanu Desai, Somalal Shah, Rasiklal Parikh, T. Pancholi, Bhikhubhai Acharya, Krishnlal Bhatt were amongst his best pupils. The second batch of his pupils include Chhaganlal Jadhav, who was popular landscape painter, Bansi Verma(Chkor), who was successful topical cartoonist. Bhadra Desai, Shanti Shah, Hiralal Khatri, Natu Parikh, who have been trained by him, contributed their bit to the art scene of Gujarat.

Another institution, "Jyoti Sangh" at Ahmedabad, also came into being under his inspiring guidence. It claims there was whole generation of artists, full of promise, were produced under him who gave new contemporary direction to the art movement of Gujarat. Most of Raval's pupils kept alive the trends of Indian painting in western India. Besides this when new Faculty of Fine Arts was started at The M. S. University at Baroda, he was appointed as a senate member and adviser at board of studies, which later on became most promising institute of the country. He also motivated many students keen to study painting from Saurastra region to join this faculty at Baroda, and later on they became very famous painters of the country.

Reference list :
1. Das, Sisir Kumar. History of Indian Literature: 1911-1956, struggle for freedom: triump and traged, Sahitya AKademi..
2. Anjali H. Desai (2007). India Guide Gujarat, India Guide Publications. p. 47. ISBN 978-0-9789517-0-2.
3. Esther David (10 February 2016). Ahmedabad City with a Past.. HarperCollins Publishers India. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-93-5029-798-8.
4. Esther David, Kalaguru Ravishankar Raval, published by Gujarat Lalit Kala Akademi.
5. Vachharajani, Anita (30 November 2005)."Pinocchio in Ahmedabad".
6. Mitter, Partha (2007). The triumph of Modernism: India's artists and the Avant-Garde, 1922-1947.Reaktion Books.
7. Works by or about Ravishankar Raval at Internet Archive. at Internet Archive
8. Art World of Ravishankar Raval.
9. Wikipedia/ Ravishankar Raval.

Author : KASHYAP PARIKH
Associate professor & head
Department of Applied Arts,
Faculty of Fine arts
The M. S. University of Baroda.

Resi. Address : A-23, Shivashiv Duplex,
Amitnagar-Sama road, Karelibaug, Baroda-390008
Phone : 9898065338, e mail : kashyaparikh@gmail.com