Focus on There Comes Papa and explore the Exhibition and legacy.
The painting was part of a series of paintings titled "The Life of Native Peoples" that were shown in the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. The set of paintings were displayed in the ethnography section rather than the fine arts section. Varma was awarded two certificates of merit praising his realism, form, and detail, among other qualities. This was widely publicized in Indian newspapers at the time, though later critics criticized the racial patronization at the exhibition.Currently, the painting is displayed at Kowdiar Palace in Thiruvananthapuram.The painting was one of the several remade by the artist David Kalal featuring various LGBT models.
1893 World's Fair Thiruvananthapuram Kowdiar Palace