Reena Ahluwalia, a Canadian artist, with proud Indian heritage, has created detailed, sparkling paintings of the Maharaja and Maharani. C. Krishniah Chetty Crystal Museum, a private, by-appointment museum in Bengaluru, India, has now acquired the Royal Mysore artworks.
Ahluwalia’s Royal Mysore paintings evoke the magnificence of the past and inscribe the historic legacy of Indian gems and jewelry onto canvas. The paintings honor an unbroken jewelry tradition as well as the lasting significance of these gems in the tapestry of Indian culture.
The paintings took years to complete, the result of Ahluwalia’s intensive research into jewelry history and a lifetime dedicated to creating jewelry art. “I painted the bejeweled Maharaja and Maharani with diamond-clad bodies,” Ahluwalia explained.
It’s more of a nudge, a reminder that we are the heroes of our own life, as resilient and luminous as diamonds and gemstones. “I hope that my art serves not only as a historical record, but also as a portal to self-reflection and empowerment, reminding viewers of their own unique worth and inner brilliance.”
The Royal Mysore paintings are currently part of the permanent collection of the C. Krishniah Chetty Crystal Museum. The museum is unique in that it displays art, jewels, and jewelry history from the Deccan and Carnatic areas of Central and South India.