Unidentified Parsi girl
by Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906)
circa 1890
Oil on canvas
18 x 14 in. (47.7 x 35.6 cm.)
Varma was known to paint a lot of Parsi children and record the realism of their affluent life. This portrait is impressive for the depth of skin coloured tones used. It brings out the natural lustre of the skin and a soft-focused luminosity through use of paints.