TANJORE PAINTING• Thanjavur painting is a classical south Indian painting style. HISTORY • It is inaugurated from Tanjore. • Period - 1600 A.D ( Nayakas period) • Originated from – maratha court of thanjavur ( 1676 – 1855 ) • It has been recognized as a geographical indication by the government of Tamilnadu in 2007 – 2008. • Materials – canvas, paint , wood. ARTISTS: • Traditionally, it is well known that the Raju community of Thanjavur and Tiruchi, also called as Jinigara or Chitragara and the Nataraja flanked by Nayudu community of Madurai were the artists who executed paintings in the Thanjavur style. Sivagami, circa 19th • The artists (Rajus & Naidus) were originally Telugu speaking people from the artistically vibrant "Rayalseema" region of century Andhra, who moved to Tamil Nadu in the wake of the fall of the Vijayanagar empire and the establishment of Nayak rule Madurai and Thanjavur . CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCE • They are characterised by rich , flat, vived colours and simple iconic composition. • In Tanjore painting one can see the • Glittering gold foils overlaid on delicate influence of but extensive gesso work and inlay of glass • Deccani style beads and pieces or very rarely precious • Vijayanagar style and semi – precious gems. • Maratha style and • Essentially serving as devotional icons, the • European or company style subjects of most paintings are Hindu gods , goddess and saints. • Episodes from Hindu puranas – sthala puranas. • Tanjore paintings are panel paintings and it is done on wooden planks and so it is Tirupati painting of called as palagai padam ( palagai – Lord Venkateshwarar wooden plan , padam - picture ). in the collection of • Now a days it has been use as a colourful the Victoria and pieces of art to decorate walls and many Albert Museum, purposes. London TANJORE PAINTING TECHNIQUE OF MAKING TANJORE STYLE AND TECHNIQUE PAINTING • Thanjavur paintings were done in various sizes • A Thanjavur Painting was generally made on a canvas pasted over a depending upon the function , the subject and plank of wood (Jackfruit or teak) with Arabic gum. the choice of the patron. • The canvas was then evenly coated with a paste of French chalk • Large paintings of the deities and maratha (gopi) or powdered limestone and a binding medium and dried. rulers were painted and installed to serve as • The artist then drew or traced using a stencil, a detailed outline of achitectural accents in the maratha palaces the main and subsidiary subjects on the canvas. and buildings. • A paste, made of limestone powder and a binding medium called • First paintings were done on a canvas pasted sukkan or makku, was used for creating the Gesso work. on a wooden support and these desiged to be • Gold leaves and gems of varied hues were inlaid in selected areas like hung on the walls of the pooja rooms or in pillars, arches, thrones, dresses, etc. bhajan halls. • Finally, colours were applied on the sketch. • Their dazzling palette consisted generally of vivid reds, deep greens, chalk white, turquoise blues and the lavish use of gold (foil) and inset glass beads. • Sometimes precious stones were also used in the paintings. • COLOUR SCHEME: • Tanjore painting was inspired by European • In the past, artists used natural colours like vegetable and mineral dyes, techniques and was most popular in Tamilnadu whereas the present day artists use chemical paints. until early 20th century. • For outlines dark brown or red was usually used. • Paintings in addition to being done on canvas, were • Red was favoured for the background, though blue and green were also also done on walls, wooden panel, glass, paper, mica Tanjore Glass used. and exotic media such as ivory. painting of Raja • Lord Vishnu, was coloured blue, and Lord Nataraja chalk white, and his • Small Ivory portraits were typically worn as cameo Sarabhoji consort Goddess Sivakami was green. pendants called rajaharam and were quite popular. • The sky, of course, was blue, but black was also employed on occasions. • Thanjavur glass paintings following the techniques of • COMPOSITION: Chinese reverse glass paintings were popularised • The portrayal of figures in the paintings was also typical with almost all during Serfoji II’s reign as a cheaper and faster craft. the figures having rounded faces with almond-shaped eyes and smooth, • The paintings were done on the reverse surface of a streamlined bodies. glass sheet with strips of metal beaten into • The composition is static and two-dimensional with the figures placed transparent gaps to simulate the effect of jewellery within arches, curtains and decorative borders. and precious stones. • The main subject is much larger than the other subjects and occupies • Most of the paintings were of Hindu deities & saints. the centre of the painting. TANJORE PAINTING MATERIALS USED DESIGN IMPLEMENTATION • NATURAL MATERIALS: • In the past, artists used natural colours like vegetable and mineral dyes. • Originally the wood of the jackfruit tree is used GREEN • Teak wood COLOUR BLUE • Early paintings were embedded with real COLOUR diamonds, rubies and other precious stones. • The frames(teak wood) used for Thanjavur RED paintings are of two types. COLOUR 1. The wooden type wherein plain type of • In Tanjore painting they use red , blue wood is used. , green colours to highlight the • 2. The Chettinad type which are more background. ornamental with designs. • Similarly I have used those colours in • ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS: the interior of the room wall. • plywood WOOD • Usually in olden days they used to do • Gold foil tanjore painting on wood ( palgai • Glass beads padam). • In later period semi – precious and artificial • Inorder to implement that in my stones were used. design , I have used that on the floor • Arabic gum of the room. • Paste of limestone • Instead of breakable glass, "transparent acrylic INTERIORS sheets" are used . • Tanjore painting can be used as a decorative material in the interior of the building. • It can be used in pooja rooms , hall, bedrooms, dining room, ect. • It is mainly used for decorative purpose. • It can be hanged in walls. • It makes the space look beautiful. TANJORE PAINTING