Paintings

Tamil Nadu, with its magnificent temples and architectural edifices is renown for its exquisite art and crafts and paintings (Tanjore). The ancient temples and monuments built under the generous patronage of the Pallava, Chola, Pandya and the Vijayanagar rulers were the roots of the fine paintings, woodwork and jewelry that flourished in the future.

The state’s claim to fame lies in its magnificent and renowned Tanjore paintings that thrived in ancient Tanjavoor or Thanjavur during the Chola dynasty.

The Tanjore paintings are a hallmark of India’s rich cultural legacy. Painted in vibrant shades embellished in colorful semi-precious stones, pearls, glass pieces and gold, they form some of the world’s masterpieces done on surfaces of wood, mica or ivory. The paintings also adorn the ornate pillars, elaborately decorated canopies and garlands of ropes and chandeliers.

Tamil Nadu’s magnum opus, the legendary Tanjore paintings vary from elaborately decorated religious paintings to the realistic portraits of beautiful young women. This ancient and traditional art form exudes an underlying aura of deep-rooted sanctity and hence majority of the older paintings depict the venerable deities. The more contemporary paintings illustrate floral motifs, pictures of humans, animals and birds.

The unique style of Tangore paintings is an interesting subject of study. At its very inception, a wooden board is prepared. The paintings are done on a separate unbleached cloth and treated with a mixture of glue and chalk powder. Finally the drawing is traced on the board, followed by elaborate and exquisite embellishments and painted with an amalgam of chalk powder and gum arabica to produce three dimensional stylized shading effect that is truly a sight to behold. The procedure is completed after vibrant dyes are added to augment the vibrancy and the completed masterpiece is adorned in a suitable frame that highlights the image.

Tamil Nadu’s Tangore paintings are a rage all over the world and attract multitude of tourists who are not only keen that these magnificent artworks adorn their wall but also want to be enlightened on how the paintings are done.

Last Updated on 1/17/2011