Thanjavur (Anglicized as Tanjore) paintings are famous for their beautiful, rich, full-bodied colors that vie for attention with the exquisite gold filigree work and colorful studded gems. Appropriately called the Art of Gold and one of the most popular forms of art from south India, the theme of Tanjore paintings is primarily gods and goddesses resplendent in luxurious materials like gems and gold leaf. These paintings are truly a case of owner’s pride because of the unique, painstaking technique of creating each piece. While every form of art originated in India is beautiful, Tanjore art stands out for its opulence. Bright colors, inlaid gems and delicate gold are combined to create art on made on wooden panels, cloth canvas, walls, glass, paper, mica and even ivory.

Where it all began…

Thanjavur, located in the state of Tamil Nadu in south India, was once the capital of the Chola empire and the economical and cultural center under the Vijaynagar dynasty as well as the Maratha rulers that took over later. While Thanjavur was not the birthplace of these paintings, the art form flourished in the city between the 16th and 18th century under the VIjayanagar Rayas and subsequent rulers. It was under the Marathas, however, that Tanjore art truly flourished into the form and style that’s famous today. Maratha palaces were adorned with large paintings of deities and Maratha rulers and noblemen. Interestingly, even under the Marathas the deities continued to be depicted with rounded faces, almond-shaped eyes and streamlined bodies.

The art was practiced by the two main communities namely the Rajus in Thanjavur and Trichy and the Naidus in Madurai. Tanjore art is rooted in tradition and has always been considered as sacred by the small community of the true practitioners and real craftsmen who maintain a low profile. 

It is believed that originally Tanjore paintings were commissioned by the kings be placed in the temple shrines where the light was poor. The bright colors and gold covering against the white relief in the paintings would help brighten the temple and make the deity visible. Naturally then the subject of the painting was either from the Ramayana or depictions of Lord Krishna in various forms. The pictures also depict significant mythological events like the marriage of Meenakshi, the deep love between Radha and Krishna, Lord Rama’s coronation and so on. As royal patronage declined, the Tanjore paintings began to adorn the walls of homes of rich noblemen, and this lush art form gained a wider audience.

How Tanjore paintings were created…

In ancient times, Tanjore paintings were made on wooden planks known as palagai padam, i.e. picture on a wooden plank, but now a variety of bases are used. Almost as a strict rule, no dull colors are used while making these paintings, and red, green and blue, yellow are used in abundance. Red is traditionally favored for the background. Lord Vishnu is depicted in blue, Lord Nataraja in white while Goddess Shivakami is depicted in green. The sky could be blue or black depending on the scene being created.

The most unique feature of Tanjore paintings is the use of wafer-thin gold foil to make the ornaments and dresses, and even to embellish the background. The special technique of placing the gold foil on the base and engraving it with design gives an almost 3D effect to the painting. Semi-precious or artificial stones and gems are used to stud the dresses and the ornaments. Each detail is given special attention including the eyes, expressions and designs on ornaments and clothes. Even the frame used is ornate and carefully selected. There are two variants of Tanjore paintings:

• • Chettinad Tanjore painting: These Tanjore paintings feature life around 1600 AD using thick lines and contrasting shades.
  • Mysore Tanjore painting: As the name suggests these Tanjore paintings originated in the historical city of Mysore, and featured delicate lines, multi-faceted brush strokes, unique figures, color shading and delicate gold leaf.

Themes in Tanjore art

The artwork in Tanjore paintings was inspired by other arts like classical dance, traditional music, and literature. Hindu gods, deities and scenes from Hindu mythology are the favorite subjects, with a chubby and cherubic baby Lord Krishna in various poses, older Krishna with his mother or Radha and her consorts, and Lord Ganesha in various forms and poses being most common. As the art evolved and gained wider recognition, the paintings became more secular to include depictions of Jain, Muslim and Sikh religions, as well as common themes like fairs, festivals and scenes of nature.

When premier quality gold foil, like a 22K one, is used, an authentic Tanjore painting can last for generations without getting tarnished and a medium sized painting would definitely be quite expensive. Today there are cheaper options available so that more people can afford Tanjore art pieces. Creating a masterpiece requires a lot of patience and hard work, and can take anywhere from three to six months to complete. This ancient form of miniature artwork thrives till date through intense craftsmanship and dedication of the artists of Tamil Nadu and is famous for its indigenous character.

Changes over the years…

Unlike the traditional use of obtaining the base from jackfruit trees and using natural vegetable colors, ply-board and chemical paints are used today. The advantage of chemical colors is that artists today have a larger variety of color contrasts and combinations to work with when creating Tanjore paintings. Coming to the technique, the traditional well-rounded body and almond-shaped eyes are no longer a strict rule. Real precious stones like diamonds and rubies have been replaced with semi-precious and artificial stones. 

If you want to buy a Tanjore painting, make sure you purchase it only from genuine artists or government emporiums in India so that you get a work of art that enthralls you for years.

About the author: Sushmita Vobbilisetty is the concept creator at Chitrapata. She has a deep understanding of old masters, modern, and contemporary artworks. Sushmita is an expert in evaluating the market value and fair value of art based on heritage, availability, sell-through rate, market performance over time, secondary sales track record, and other key factors. Sushmita frequently predicts the bidding prices for day sales and evening auctions hosted by leading art houses.

About us: Chitrapata is a digital atelier with an in-house generative art technology platform enhanced with machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities. Our vision is to spark thoughts, conversations, and debates among different groups. Visit “About us” section to know more about our philosophy, vision, bio, artist statement, story and technology process.

Image credit: DreamStudio AI, StableDiffusion.