Raja Ravi Varma was considered one of the greatest painters in Indian art history. His paintings fused Indian traditions with techniques of European academic art. He was the first Indian artist to depict Indian gods and mythological characters in natural, earthy settings using European realism. Some of his famous works included scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata as well as portraits and regional art. He was exceptionally skilled at portraying light, shadow, and emotion. Raja Ravi Varma influenced Indian art until his death in 1906.