Kartikeya (Subramanyaswami) - 04

Subramanyaswami, more commonly known as Kartikeya, is the Hindu God of War. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Parvati and brother of Ganesha. Subramanya's life story has many different versions in Hinduism. He is typically represented as a youthful man, with a peacock near him. Some depictions, such as this one, show him with six heads, reflecting the legend around his birth, where six mothers supposedly took care of him as a new born baby.
This oleograph is signed by the artist, Raja Ravi Varma and has been printed at the Ravi Varma Press, Malavli-Lonavala. The artwork is elaborately decorated using fabric, zari work and sequins. The frame has suffered some damage on the top left, due to passage of time.