Tanjore Painting – Uniqueness of Indian Tanjore Paintings

Thanjavur, situated in Kumarakom, Kerala, is famous for Tanjore Painting. Thanjivrana is one of the most important masterpieces in this genre of artwork. Thanjavur Painting has become an internationally recognized art form.

Tanjore Painting is an expression of the artist’s feelings and sentiments, as it represents the daily chores and sufferings of the people in that region of Kerala.

Origination of Tanjore Painting

Tanjore painting originated from Kumarakom in southern India. The artist M. R. Thanjavijay took this art form to Kerala and made it more popular. Thanjavur Painting is a part of our tradition, and we follow it closely here in Kerala. This art form is mostly done at homes, especially when there is some special occasion.

Paintings made by Thanjavur Painters are unique. There is an enormous variety of styles, subjects, and subject matter in their works. They portray the rural life of southern India with all the vibrancy, uniqueness, and vibrancy, which make them different than the art forms of other states. The uniqueness of Tanjore paintings is evident in their expressions, which make Tanjore more precious than any other paintings in the world.

Inspiration of Tanjore Painting

Tanjore paintings are inspired by various subjects like nature & landscape, human anatomy, and some of the oldest artwork forms of India like pottery, lacquer, terracotta, wood, & metal art. Some of the most common subjects in Tanjore paintings are water, & mountains, & rivers, & leaves & trees, & birds, & elephants, & cherubs, & elephants, & birds, & flowers, & insects, & cacti, & temples, & geometrical figures, & mythological figures, & mythical characters, & scenes from literature and cinema. The Mughal culture and architecture also inspire Tanjore Paintings. They bring the same level of creativity, imagination, and color to this type of art.

Paintings from the Mughal period were usually oil paintings on wood. However, after the advent of Tanjore canvas, there was a significant change in the art form, as there was a new style in painting on wood, known as Tanjore canvas. This change in the art form resulted in the popularity of Tanjore paintings in India. The popularity increased even more when introduced the gold foil into the Indian market in the nineteenth century. Gold foil was more durable and more attractive to the Indian craftsmen than the previous wood-based paint.

Significance of Influence of Indian Artform

Later in the nineteenth century, another significant influence on the Indian artform was photography. Indian artists like Jamini Roy, Rabindra Nath Tagam, and Subodh Gupta saw the beauty of photographs and decided to imitate them in their paintings.

These photographs of Mona Lisa and The Trial have become some of the most sought-after paintings by the artform’s fans. However, many other artists like Amrita Sher-Gil and Prem Chopra saw the defects in photography, neglected the photograph’s intrinsic beauty, and substituted it with another art form, namely, the portrayal of life in art.

Tanjore Painting has had a great number of important artists. Some of the most prominent are Indira Gandhi, Sailoz Mukherjea, Jamini Roy, Subodh Gupta, and Mulk Raj Anand.

Modern Day Indian Tanjore Paintings

Today, you can find modern-day Indian Tanjore Paintings and sculptures in various studios all over India. A typical Tanjore Arts Piece would incorporate subjects like a sea, human, and environment.

Since ancient times, India has been known for the use of paintings in decorating their temples and tombs and depicting the themes of their favorite stories.

India is know for decorating temple

It was in this period that the art of Tanjore was born. This art was considered more important than any other art because Tanjore painting had greater significance than other subjects in ancient Indian society.

After the death of Chandragupta, there were hardly any noteworthy sculptors in India, and this gave Tanjore a golden opportunity to develop as a artist.