Whimsical Art survived Against the Time- The Tanjore Painting

A cultivated art element from South India is the festival of religious wealthy artistic tradition named after the town of origin Tanjavur in Tamil Nadu.

Well known for their bizarre characteristics of deities using vibrant and ornamented embellishments specially the gold foil. Over the years art has undergone many changes even today, it is flawless in the fashionableness of art lovers. With its completely Indian style, the artists are inspired by it.

 Roots and patronage

 Tanjore has a special place in the history of Indian painting. The 11th-century Chola wall painting in the Beheaeshwar temple and the painting from the era of the Nayak period was brilliance of the art origin.

 Dating back to the 16th century, the fall of the Vijayanagar empire and the conquest of humpi in the battle of Talikta in 1565 CE resulted in the migration of painters towards the Thanjavur and their art flourished till the Maratha was invented.

when the Maratha rule was established in the region, the art flourished and it was during that time, that Tanjore painting developed in form and style. Which we recognize today.

With the decline of Marathas rule in 1800, the danger painting was created to suit the western style in that the motives of religion change to a mix of religion and nonreligious.

 Techniques

 Cardboard is placed on the wooden board and a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted on bored using a type of gum name kezhangupassai, when the fabric has attached the process of coating the clothing begins.

A paste is prepared from the chukangu powder and fevicol. Over a period of 10 days three coats of paste are applied.  Then with a smoothening stone and emery sheet This coating is they dropped till the surface become mild with Sheen and good texture. Coating of the cloth bored helps prevent the painting from the damage caused by moisture and heat.

 A tracing sheet, with pinpricked desired design is used to trace the outline of theme. This outline is marked with charcoal and Mai (soot) from Vellakennai (Castro oil)  lamp Using squirrel tail hair brush.

 To create the relief work a paste made of chalk powder, sunnambukallu and karuvelamaramgondha are used. To create a raising effect the paste is applied, once this layer is dry, finer detail are painted by using the same paste and at this stage, kundan stones are embellished with fevicol and chukangupaste.

Then the metal foil like gold, silver, or copper is placed on an embossed area and then the foil is cut to shape. Karuvelamaramgondha is applied on the back and pasted on embossed area. The leaf is smoothened over the area with cloth and back off brush, the foil is pressed to all the embossed areas and covered with gold leaf which takes three hours to dry.

Depending on the grade of painting poster color or natural color is used to paint. Serval coating of color is required for better color outcome and then black soot is used to outline the painting and after drying it. The painting is ready to frame.

Diverse stylish influences

 Tanjore painting was not only inspired by the diverse cultural group, it was also influenced by other painting styles which flourished in the vijaynagar era, like kalamkari and Tirupathi style painting.

The Mysore painting shares many characteristics with Tanjore painting. Though the styles are similar but there are notable differences which can be easily detected.

Thriving against the tide of time

 Few dedicated artist based in Tamil Nadu have kept alive this age-old art- the Tanjore painting even today.  With the replacement of synthetic colors and use of plywood instead of jackfruit and teakwood in modern version of painting still have board appeal.

 Today there were commercialized extensively and it can be found even in the street markets. Although the art form has stood the test of time and survive its popularity, but there is a decline in quality is disconcerting to many art lovers.

Workshops and training camps are being held to ensure that the art form continues to prevail, While maintaining the prosperous tradition and artistic element that make up the significance of the Tanjore painting.

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