Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV

This is an oleograph of his highness Krishnaraja Wadiyar from the early 1900s. It has been created at Raja Vijaya Press, Ghatkopar. Maharaja Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV (1884 –1940) was the twenty-fourth maharaja of the Kingdom of Mysore, from 1894 until his death in 1940. He is popularly called "Rajarshi”, a name given to him by Mahatma Gandhi, which literally means "the sage king" for his administrative reforms and achievements. He was an encouraging patron of Ravi Varma and commissioned him to paint the famous mythological paintings which originally adorned the Durbar Hall of the Mysore Palace and now are displayed in the Jagan Mohan Palace, Mysore. The Maharaja is pictured here in his full ceremonial dress with a part of the Mysore palace in the background.