Goddess Rajarajeshwari (Framed)

$660
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Framed elaborately, this Tanjore painting is made on a canvas and characterized by flat and vivid colors. Rajarajeshwari or Tripura Sundari is one of the most powerful forms of goddess Shakti and consort of Sadashiva. She is the most beautiful in the three worlds as she sits in her lalitasana posture on this richly carved multilayered lotus throne with magnificent prabhavali- a fine arch that forms a huge halo at her back and a parasol at the top enhancing her divine and beauteous aspects. She is draped in an alluring natural orange silk, printed in horizontal motifs.

Her thick dark hair have the scent of champaka, ashoka and punnaga flowers with the musk tilak on her forehead; she wears a red complexion and eyes like the abode of god of love; her voice sweeter than the sound emanating from Saraswati’s veena and smile, such that Shiva himself could not take his eyes off her; sensuously modeled in decently clad breasts, broadened hips but a highly balanced figure.

The most awe striking feature is the use of glittering 22 karat gold foils overlaid on the painting with the jewels, crown, throne and the royal room painted in a slight sculptural format. She wears this long South Indian temple inspired stone studded crown adorned with a crescent moon at the top and multiple heavy jewels studded with precious stones glorify her body. Sun and full moon form her lavish earrings. This chaturbhuja holds a bunch of lotus buds and sugarcane in her foremost hands, while the rear hands carry an elephant goad and a noose. Settled in the midst of long luxurious carved pillars, this beautiful divinity is the mistress of even the king of the kings’.

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Delivery Usually ships in 30 days
Item Code: PT74
Specifications:
Tanjore Painting on Board
Dimensions 15.4 inch x 18.3 inch x Frame
11 inch x 14 inch - Painting
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
Fair trade
Fair trade

Gilded Elegance: Unraveling the Artistry of Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a traditional form of art in the South Indian style and was started by the inhabitants of a small town known as Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu. This gives it another name called “Thanjavur painting”. This painting draws its figures, designs, and inspiration from the time when Vedic culture was prevalent in India. Certain remarkable features of a Tanjore painting distinguish it from other paintings. Some of these are pure gold or gold foil coating on gesso work, the use of rich and vivid colors, and the inlay of cut-glass or semi-precious and precious stones. The subjects of most of the Tanjore paintings are Hindu Gods, Goddesses, and saints. The main devotional figure is portrayed in the central portion of the painting and is usually surrounded by various secondary figures.

The process of making a Tanjore painting

The classic Tanjore paintings are done on wooden planks and hence are also referred to as Palagai Padam in South India (Palagai = Wooden plank, Padam = Picture). Creating a masterpiece is never an easy task but the skilled artists of Thanjavur have been following the tradition of making timeless Tanjore paintings for decades.
The making process begins with preparing the wooden board or canvas. The size of the board depends upon the choice of the patron. The next step is to paste cardboard over the wooden board and then a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted upon it using Arabic gum.
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Now that the cloth is attached to the wooden panel, a rough sketch of the motifs and figure is drawn onto the fabric. After this, a paste of chalk powder and water-soluble adhesive is evenly applied over the base and smoothed.
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Thereafter, the outlines which were made or traced using a stencil are now ready to be beautified and decked with various add-ons. The usual materials for decoration are cut-glass, pearls, semi-precious and precious gems, gold leaf, and laces. 22 or 18 Karat Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are especially inlaid in areas like pillars, arches, walls, thrones, and dresses. In the final step, the rest of the painting is filled with rich and striking colors such as shades of red, blue, and green. Formerly, the artists used natural colors like vegetable and mineral dyes instead of chemical paints. The entire painting is then cleaned and refined to give a flawless finished look.
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Since the making of a single piece of Tanjore painting requires a complex and elaborate process, the artists usually take at least one or two months to complete it. The use of pure gold foil and gems for beautification is a characteristic of an authentic Tanjore painting. Due to this, Tanjore paintings last for generations without getting tarnished and are much more expensive than general paintings. Though the art form has undergone various changes and technique modifications over the years, it continues to attract the hearts of art lovers.
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