Near Eastern Painting – Tanjore Painting – South Indian Pride
Tanjore Painting – The Concept and History
Tanjore Painting (Tamil: Thanjavur Oviyum) holds a special place in the history of Indian painting. It arose in a southern Indian state, Tamil Nadu, in a city called Tanjore or Thanjavur, also known as the “Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu”. Thanjavur is famous for different kinds of arts and crafts among which Tanjore paintings are highly appreciated. Tanjore art is also set at Thanjavur Toys and Thanjavur Plates to name a few. The foundation of Tanjore Painting can be traced back to the Nayakas of Thanjavur in the 17th century. During this period, Tanjore art flourished especially due to the skills and talents of certain communities, such as The Rajus in Thanjavur and Trichy and Naidus in Madurai.
The details
Tanjore painting was prized for its rich colors, use of precious stones, woods, mica, mirrors, ornaments, exotic media such as ivory, murals, and manuscripts. The meticulously fine work of the artists well justified this prolific supplementation. These paintings usually have a key figure, usually a deity (Hindu gods, Sikh gurus, or saints) with an attractive body and almond-shaped eyes. Hindu gods, such as Shiva-Parvati, Vishnu-Lakhmi, Ganesh, and Krishna, were the most beloved depictions among artists. The religious fascination in art was mainly attributed to the beautiful and classical temples built by the then emperors of various dynasties.
Tanjore painting is painted on canvas, usually made from a wooden board, with a cloth glued together with gum arabic. Once the canvas is ready, the painters draw a detailed sketch of the painting on it. For a 3D effect, a limestone paste and binding medium is used, so the painter can decorate and ornament the subject with his skill and his brush.
Gold leaf and multi-colored gemstones are effectively used by artists in some areas such as columns, arches, thrones, and gowns to create a long-lasting radiance and brilliance. In ancient times, painters used natural colors such as vegetable and vegetable dyes to color the sketch, which today have been replaced by chemical paints. In Tanjore Painting, the painter used specific colors such as dark brown for the outline and red or green for the background. Lord Vishnu was mainly blue in color and Lord Nataraja in chalk white. The yellow color was mainly used to paint the Goddesses. While the sky was represented in the color blue, black was used only occasionally.
The types
o Classic: it has strong and varied colors, enhanced with a high-gloss gold foil.
o Antique: The gold glow is subdued here, as are the colors and backgrounds.
o Embossed – Similar to the Classic finish, otherwise these are super embossed.
The Heritage
Tanjore Painting is unique and is one of the most appreciated ways to express love of God, devotion, love and beauty. Tamil artists have still kept it alive and have even added modern techniques to enhance its value.