There’s more to golden art than jewellery. Venture south to the Tanjore district in Tamil Nadu and witness the splendid ‘Tanjore Paintings’. Thanjavur is known for being home to some of the most famous historic structures in Tamil Nadu, including a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Brihadeeswarar Temple. But this dormant town in the state’s centre has much more to offer than just architectural marvels.
In fact, for anyone with an interest in South Indian art, music and dance forms, Thanjavur is nothing short of a pilgrimage and thoroughly deserves the title of being ‘South India’s Cradle of Arts’. Tanjore painting is a popular form of artwork that originated in Southern India. These paintings have been popular from the 16th century and have evolved under the reign of the Chola emperors and are famous for its use of gold.
When the Marathas invaded Tanjore in Tamil Nadu many painters and artists migrated here and under their rule, this art form flourished.
Apparently, Thanjavur paintings haven’t got their name from any Sanskrit word like other Indian painting styles. Tanjore painting is Anglicized name for Thanjavur paintings and it has got this name from a city in South India. This city is where this painting style developed and thrived and hence it got this name. Thanjavur city is the centre for architecture, religion, and art of the South Indian region.
The Thanjavur painting as we know it today was a result of the region’s artisans imbibing the influences of “the Vijayanagara murals, and through it Deccani painting, court painting…traditional sculpture in wood…and…folk painting,” writes art historian Jaya Appasamy in Thanjavur Painting of the Maratha Period. The city of Thanjavur, 280 km south of Chennai, has not only seen the rule of powerful dynasties such as the Cholas, it has also been a thriving centre of art and architecture throughout history.
Amid its rich and enduring artistic tradition are the Tanjore Paintings, a style of painting that originated and thrived in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu in the 17th century, under the patronage of the region's Maratha rulers. Locally known as Palagai Padam, which translates into 'paintings done on wooden planks', Tanjore Paintings are a very important part of the living cultural legacy of Thanjavur.
Stunning Ganesha Tanjore Painting With Large Wooden Traditional Door Frame
Thanjavur was the imperial capital of the Cholas from the 9th to 13th centuries CE, a period during which the city reached its zenith in art and architecture. After the decline of the Cholas in the 13th century CE, Thanjavur was captured by the Pandyan King, Malavarman Kulasekara Pandyan I, in 1279 CE. He annexed the entire Chola kingdom.
Over the following centuries, Thanjavur saw the rule of the Delhi Sultanate (briefly in the 14th century), followed by the Vijayanagar rulers (between the 15th and 16th centuries), the Thanjavur Nayakas (16th-17th centuries) and the Marathas (17th-18th centuries). Interestingly, the legacy of these great rulers can still be found in Thanjavur today.
While the temple architecture in the region represents the pinnacle of Chola architecture, the mural traditions of the Nayakas and the Cholas can be seen on temple walls, and the painting legacy of the Marathas in the Tanjore Paintings. It is said that the Tanjore Paintings draws their inspiration from the paintings done by the Nayakas.
Tanjore Painting, as we know it today, originated under the patronage of the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur in the 17th century CE and flourished under the most famous ruler of the line, Maharaja Serfoji II (1777-1832 CE), a great patron of learning and the arts. Thanks to him, large paintings of deities and portraits of Maratha rulers, their courtiers and nobility were painted and installed in Maratha palaces and other buildings.
Between 2nd century B.C. and 7th century A.D., gold in these paintings helped inspire a feeling of devotion. Notably, Tanjore paintings are completely handmade and do not employ any machinery. The subjects of these paintings are portrayed with cherubic faces and almond shaped eyes. Brilliant colour schemes and inlay of semi-precious stones, cut glass, pure gold foils and real pearls are the hallmark of Tanjore paintings.
Several stages of meticulous work are involved before a Tanjore painting is completed. From making of the board sketching, muck work, inlaying of semi-precious stones, pasting the gold foil to painting of the subject, utmost care is given to details. Patience as well as precision are essential when working on a Tanjore painting.
The essential elements involved in the Art are as follows –
The usual practice is creating the Art is laid down below –
To make a Tanjore painting, a sketch is first made on a cloth.
☸ This cloth is pasted on a wooden base, historically made from the jackfruit tree. Today, plywood is used as an alternative.
☸ The canvas is evenly coated with Limestone or French chalk and a binding medium.
☸ Once dry, the sketch is outlined with dark brown or black paint and painted using bright colours. These paintings have intricate brush strokes and graceful figures. The gold adds life and depth to the painting.
☸ In olden days, vegetable or mineral dyes were used in the painting. The colours used were specific to different segments of the painting.
For example,
☛ Backgrounds were usually red or green
☛ Lord Vishnu was coloured blue and Lord Nataraja was painted white
☛ The colour yellow was used to paint Goddesses
☛ The sky was painted blue or black depending on the story
☛ The clothing and ornaments adorned by Gods and Goddesses were made of pure gold, and Gold, gemstones, pearls, glass beads, and precious stones are embossed over the painting. This gave the paintings a three-dimensional effect.
☸ Usually, gold foils are used in these paintings. Sometimes pure gold milk or dust is used as well. The use of pure gold makes the painting a splendid visual treat. Since gold was widely used, these paintings were considered a treasure. The shine of these paintings lasts for 80-100 years, as pure gold never fades. The most-loved theme by Tanjore painters has been the image of baby Krishna, sitting on his golden throne with a pot of butter in his hands. He is elaborately bejewelled and the painting features gold in his jewellery, clothing and the throne.
There are multiple forms of Tanjore paintings, specific to respective regions like:
The Chettinad Tanjore painting
☀ Originated Tanjore
☀ Practised since 1600 AD.
☀ Features bold colours and thick lines
The Mysore Tanjore painting
☀ Originated in Mysore
☀ Features delicate lines, intricate brush strokes and graceful figures of Gods and Goddesses. Bright colours and lustrous gold leaves were also used to enhance these paintings.
Then Thanjavur paintings received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2007, commercial interest in the art had picked up, long after a brief spike in the early 1990s. A geographical indication is a sign used on products that correspond to a specific geographical location or origin. This tag is issued by the geographical indication registry under the department of industry promotion and internal trade, ministry of commerce and industry.
Following that, relatively cheaper, fake-gold foil sheets started making an appearance in the market—it encouraged hobbyists to keep the art alive, but also aided insincere profit-making motives. Barring that, the form itself has barely evolved. Its characteristic idiom—the striking gold foil on gesso (a white paint mixture) with embedded gemstones, flat vivid colours, and divine figures—has stayed largely the same for close to a century.
This stagnancy, however, was not typical to Thanjavur art. In fact, the indispensable use of gold film on gesso would not have even come to be if it were not for the many initial experiments by the region’s artisans.
The Distinctiveness of Gesso: One-of-a-kind element of Tanjore Art
The most one-of-a-kind element of Tanjore Paintings is the Gesso Work (its 3-Dimesnional property). To clarify it further, Tanjore Painting has embossed zones on it which most different works of art don’t have. That is, the painting has zones that are elevated from the surface. This embellish is called Gesso work in craftsmanship language.
Traditionally, for centuries, families in South India have preferred gold jewellery over any other. Gold is non-reactive, does not rust or tarnish: it is pure, and therefore, auspicious. Further, Gold has always symbolised fire; it is a symbol of purity. It symbolises wealth, and is an emblem of Lakshmi (the goddess of prosperity). Threads of gold are woven into saris; it is in the Gopuram (ornate entrance towers) of temples.
It has a strong ritualistic significance within the Hindu dharma so to speak. Even the Panchadhatu (traditional, sacred metal) for example has a small amount of gold added to it. This very property also gave gold social currency. In many communities even today, a girl is sent to her marital home with some gold as part of her personal wealth (streedhan, the protection of which is enshrined in the law) — the husband or his family cannot exercise claim over it.
There are also instances from early 18th century Thanjavur, when art that depicts gods adorned with gold jewellery, was presented at weddings. Incidentally, musicologist P. Sambamoorthy’s biography of the saint-composer Tyagaraja (mid 1700s-early 1800s) mentions that a student, Walajahpet Venkataramana Bhagavatar, had presented a painting of Kodanda Rama (Rama with Bow) to his guru on Tyagaraja’s daughter’s wedding.
In what feels like a hat tip to the continuation of gold’s history with Thanjavur paintings, artists today say that commercially available gold foil comes from Rajasthan and Gujarat. While artists prefer to stick to these, out of good conscience, they are also ready to cater to the budgetary needs of the market. Owning and adapting to market reality is the entrepreneurial innovation expected of Thanjavur artists now.
However, most are reluctant to making changes in the designs. The architectural elements understandably remain constant, inspired as they are by ancient temples. Similarly, from the reticent way that the artists talk about changing the jewellery on their gods, it seems like these elements form symbolic and religious iconography—this has no scope to change with the times either.
Appasamy writes that “the iconic style of Thanjavur painting fulfilled a function that was not primarily aesthetic…and became repetitious precisely because it was sacred.” Regular portraiture, which Thanjavur painters did briefly under the British, did not necessitate the grandeur typical to their art.
To this day the Navaneeta Krishna (baby Krishna with a pot of butter), Gajalakshmi (Goddess Lakshmi with elephants), Kodanda Rama all continue to be depicted under the gilded temple arches with flowers and the yaazhi. They continue to be adorned with a traditional golden kaasu malai (a chain made of small gold coins), medallion-like-pendants, and crowns just as they were over a century ago.
The royal patronage was more towards portraiture and towards depiction of court scenes and similar other subjects related to the affairs of the state. But there were other important patrons particularly the Bhajan Maths i.e., the religious institutions attached to some temples as also some very large Bhajan Maths having their own temples.
The mythological content of these paintings was ideally suited to project the Puranic narratives of the Hindu religion. The genre can also be subdivided into two streams viz ‘puranic’ and ‘iconic’. The puranic paintings are a counterpart to the superbly sculpted mythological stories depicted on the inner walls of temples and the iconic paintings relate to the deity presiding in the garbhagriha of the temple.
Tanjore paintings in Tamil Nadu and the rest of the world are used as shrines or images of deities, worshipped regularly, sacred decorations, and gift items. They are also prized collectibles for lovers of Indian art. Over a period of time, the artists have developed the techniques and themes of Thanjavur paintings. However, there are a few themes that continue to be loved by the audience.
👉 Navaneeta Krishna : Variably known as Navaneetha Krishna, this Tanjore painting is a classic artwork, presenting a young Krishna adorned from head to toe, sitting on a throne, with a ball of butter in his hand. Due to the association with Butter, this painting is also known as “Butter Krishna”, a charming depiction of Krishna’s childhood Lilas.
👉 Sri Rama Pattabhishekam : The Pattabhisheka or coronation of Sri Rama, this Tanjore art is a cherished art by the royals of Tamil Nadu. A depiction of the royal court of Sri Rama, which is surrounded by Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, and Hanuman, along with his devotees, sages, and gods, this theme is a powerful and regal one, in which the golden techniques of Tanjore shine brilliantly.
👉 Darbaar Krishna : Another golden depiction of a divine court or Darbaar, this Tanjore painting showcases the royal court of Krishna. The god appears in his usual young form, unlike the human kings who are usually presented as fully matured rulers. The youthfulness of Krishna as the divine king is a symbol of his godhood, which is beyond the rules of the human world.
👉 Divine Kalyanam : Themes and episodes such as Rukmini-Kalyanam (marriage of Rukmini and Krishna), Kalyana-Sundaram (marriage of Shiva and Parvati) and Sita-Kalyanam are popular, traditional Tanjore paintings. Gifting and patronizing marriage scenes in Tanjore art were believed to bring auspiciousness to the life of newlyweds, which is why such paintings were created on the occasion of marriages.
👉 Tirupati Balaji : The sanctum sanctorum of Tirupati Balaji or Sri Venkateshwara is a powerful icon for his devotees. In the splendid visual language of Tanjore art, the image of Sri Venkateshwara appears divine, adorned with gold and precious gems. Such paintings made by Thanjavur artists are mostly used as central icons in places of worship or sacred decorative art in halls of homes and public buildings to attract the blessings of Balaji.
👉 Shiva Tanjore Paintings : Themes related to Lord Shiva in Tanjore art are mostly Uma-Maheshwara, Nataraja, Dakshinamurty, Shiva’s divine marriage, and sacred temples of Shiva.
👉 Other Popular Themes : The sacred trinity of deities- Ganesha, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are also popular divine beings in the artistic universe of Tanjore. Lakshmi as Gajalakshmi, Saraswati playing Veena and Ganesha in his various forms are depicted in Thanjavur paintings.
The workmanship was at first made and drilled by two principal networks in particular – the Rajus and the Naidus. The specialists have a typical root – the Vijayanagara Kingdom after whose fall, craftsmen moved to Tanjore, Madurai, and Mysore. The specialists who are initially Telugu talking individuals from the Rayalseema district, moved to Tamil Nadu in the wake of the Nayaks rule of Madurai and Tanjore. Tanjore was later given to the Marathas.
The specialists who relocated to Mysore made a sister-workmanship considered the Mysore compositions that are fundamentally the same as Tanjore Paintings. The artistic creations were established in convention and the advancement was restricted. Truth be told, any endeavour to include development would just bring about weakening of the fine art.
The craftsmanship was hallowed to those ace specialists who decided to be mysterious and humble. The present craftsmen are not, at this point constrained to these two networks. There are numerous Tanjore Painting creation organizations that are making numerous craftsmen each spending year spread across different networks. The Saraswathi Mahal Library of Tanjore still displays the best Tanjore paintings.
Tanjore Paintings are one of the last enduring customary works of art of India and Hinduism. The core survival theory behind Tanjore Paintings is its adaptability towards the change in its format. The recent evolution witnessed in Tanjore Painting is its glass painting format which has been the centre of attraction amongst various followers of this typical painting work.
The works of art are made with commitment – all subjects being Hindu Gods and the tales related with them. Each Tanjore Painting has a story to tell. Stories saved through craftsmanship. These are much the same as the models and drawings in a sanctuary, simply that the previous is compact and henceforth can be protected effectively from the demolition the sanctuaries were generally exposed to.
1. ‘Thanjavur – A Cultural History’ by Pradeep Chakravarthy. Published by Niyogi books.
2. ‘Tanjavur Painting of the Maratha Period’ by Jaya Appasamy. Abhinav Publications, 1980.
3. ‘Thanjavur Paintings in Koviloor’ by C. Nachiappan. Hardcover Kalakshetra Publications. 14 Nov 2004, 1st ed.
4. ‘Tanjore Paintings, A Chapter in Indian Art History’ by N. S. Kora Ramaswami.
5. ‘South Indian Paintings – A catalogue of the British Museum collection’ by A. L. Dallapiccola. Published by Mapin Publishing .in association with the British Museum Press.
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