Historic Sale of Raja Ravi Varma's Yashoda and Krishna Painting Unveils Artistic Origins

Raja Ravi Varma's iconic painting, Yashoda and Krishna, has made headlines after being sold for a staggering ₹1.67 billion. This article delves into the painting's rich history, its connections to the Lukshmi Vilas Palace, and the artistic influences that shaped its creation. With insights from the Maharaja Fatesingh Museum and Radhikaraje Gaekwad, readers will uncover the intriguing details that link this masterpiece to its origins and the collaborative spirit of its time. Explore the legacy of Varma and the significance of this celebrated artwork.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 7, 2026, 17:20 IST

Record-Breaking Sale of a Masterpiece

The renowned 19th-century artwork Yashoda and Krishna by Raja Ravi Varma has set a new record as the most expensive Indian painting ever sold, fetching ₹1.67 billion (approximately $17.9 million). This remarkable piece was acquired by Cyrus Poonawalla, the founder and managing director of the Serum Institute of India. Created in the 1890s, this painting is regarded as one of Varma's finest creations.

Recently, a series of posts on Instagram by the Maharaja Fatesingh Museum and Radhikaraje Gaekwad, the Maharani of Baroda, have shed light on the potential inspirations and origins of this iconic painting, linking it to the Lukshmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara.

This palace, recognized as the largest private residence globally and home to the Gaekwad family, features stunning stained-glass windows. Among these is a panel depicting Yashoda and Krishna, which may have influenced Varma's work. The narrative shared by Radhikaraje and the museum describes the palace as 'one of the grandest ever constructed,' unveiled in 1890 as a testament to artistry, global collaboration, and patronage.

This collaborative spirit extended to a partnership with English stained-glass artist Arthur J. Dix (1861–1917), who crafted four panels featuring mythological themes. One of these panels illustrates a tender moment between Yashoda and the infant Krishna as she milks a cow, with all three figures oriented towards the viewer. This imagery resonates with the Gaekwads’ identity as protectors of cows, reflected in decorative elements like cow-head carvings at the palace entrance.

Notably, in the stained-glass panel, Krishna is depicted holding a golden chalice, which is described as 'a Christian sacred vessel, symbolizing spirituality and nourishment.' Dix, known for his church stained-glass work, is credited with incorporating this element into a theme that was otherwise unfamiliar to him.

Another intriguing detail is a cat painted in the corner, which, while not associated with Krishna, aligns more with English symbols of luck and protection. This blend of elements supports the assertion that the stained-glass panel served as inspiration for Varma's painting. The posts suggest that Varma's painting, dated to the 1890s, draws heavily from this panel, as he omits the cat, alters the cow's position, and creates a more intimate setting, yet retains the chalice in the form of a tumbler.

Supporting this theory, the earliest known photograph of Yashoda and Krishna is credited to Baroda photographer V. G. Chiplonkar. Additionally, the painting is mentioned in S. N. Joshi’s 1911 publication Half-Tone Reprints of the Renowned Pictures of the Late Raja Ravi Varma, where it is titled Milching a Cow. A chromolithograph version was later produced at the Ravi Varma Press under the name Yashoda Krishna.

Varma is believed to have created this masterpiece within the palace grounds, where a studio was established for him on the Lukshmi Vilas estate. It is likely that he initially sketched the composition in the Durbar Hall, where the stained-glass panel is located, before finalizing the painting in his studio. Previously, he had also replicated works from the royal family's collection, including an exact replica of Judith by J. J. Benjamin-Constant in 1889, which is now housed at the Sri Chitra Art Gallery in Thiruvananthapuram.