The exquisite Thanjavur paintings portray the rich artistic skill and creative imagination of the local artists of the ancient city in the state of Tamil Nadu. Also known as Tanjore paintings, the Thanjavur paintings were introduced by the royal patrons of art and craft under the Chola dynasty in the 16th century.
The beautiful Thanjavur paintings are known for their harmonious blend of different colors, and density of the composition of the drawings. The exclusive paintings were further decorated with precious stones, small pieces of colored glass and beautiful pearls to make them very attractive.
The Thanjavur paintings were commonly referred to as Palagai Padam among the local inhabitants of the ancient city as most of the paintings were drawn on huge wooden boards. An integral part of the unique art and craft of Thanjavur, the traditional paintings of the ancient city of Tanjore usually included the divine theme of Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu religion.
The artists of the exclusive art work of Thanjavur paintings followed several steps while drawing the beautiful images of Gods and Goddesses. The painters first drew a sketch on a piece of white cloth which served as the base and then pasted that on the wooden board. The painters then mixed zinc oxide with water and applied that on the sketch. The final step included the decoration of the beautiful painting with colored stones, pearls and small pieces of glass.
The unique pieces of art work of Thanjavur paintings of the ancient times are an inspiration for the painters of the modern times.
Last Updated on 06 December 2011
