V. S. Valiathan

Vattaparambil Sankaran Valiathan (October 1919 – 21 June 2006), commonly referred to as Artist V. S. Valiathan, was an Indian artist from Pandalam, Travancore (Present-day Pathanamthitta district, Kerala) who was known for his classical style of painting in the Raja Ravi Varma tradition.

Early life Valiathan was born at Pandalam, to Revathinal Ravi Varma Raja of the Pandalam Royal Family and Thottathil Madhavi Amma. His maternal grandfather Pandalathu Puthen Poomukhathu Kottarathil Aswathynal Godavarma Valiya Thmpuran was an artist in mural painting. Valiathan had his formal education from Thonnallur Malayalam Middle School and NSS English High School. He was trained in painting by Puthenveettil P. K. Gopala Pillai, He drew more than 2,000 portraits and subject paintings. His famous paintings include Kulakkadavu (Bathing Ghat), Themmadikkattu (The Ruffian Wind), Vreela Vivasa (The Bashful Damsel), Macbeth, Panchali, Venalkkalam (The Summer Season), Urangunnal Sundari (The Sleeping Beauty), Prakrithi Drishyam (The Landscape), Vasthrakshepam, Kurukshetra Yuddham (The Battle of Kurukshetra), Vishvamitranum Menakayum (Vishvamitra and Menaka), and Urvasy. Valiathan drew from imagination and did not use models for his paintings. In his obituary, the then Cultural Affairs Minister of Kerala, M. A. Baby observed that Valiathan's professional life was an example of an artist's integrity towards his own creations. Chitrakala Parishath Fellowship, 1996 Kerala Lalitakala Academy Award, 2002