Sunday, December 24, 2000		Article

Exquisite Tanjore paintings

Centuries after the artists in the temple town of Thanjavur crafted beautiful gold leaf-encrusted paintings, the art has seen tremendous revival. Today, Indians living abroad as well as art lovers in all regions of India search the art markets for rare antiques and exquisite new works, says Vimla Patil.

IF you visit the home of Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan in London’s posh Hamptom area or Anupam and Kiron Kher’s well-appointed flat in suburban Mumbai, you find one common factor in their decor. The walls boast beautiful, priceless Tanjore paintings which belong to bygone centuries. Though such celebrities, with their taste for good art, are owners of some of the best Tanjore paintings in India, this art is entirely affordable for lay people too.

Because of the richness of design which Tanjore paintings display and their colourful, ethnic beauty, Tanjore paintings have suddenly become hot favourites of art markets in recent years. Art dealers are suddenly busy collecting old paintings from the fading homes of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to sell in the international market. The demand has also encouraged new artists to create modern work. These artists have found that interior designers and upwardly mobile people alike are anxious to buy these beautiful paintings to enhance the ambience of their homes and workplace.

Particularly, Indians who reside abroad have found that Tanjore paintings bring a unique whiff of Indian nostalgia to their homes in faraway lands. The prices are fairly reasonable and even if a buyer has not succeeded in finding a masterpiece, there is no regret. The sudden surge of interest in Tanjore paintings has resulted in several art galleries being dedicated to them. One such, has been established in the Chettinad Palace in Chennai. In every tourist site, Tanjore art centres are springing up in Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Karnataka. The Karnataka Chitra Kala Parishad has introduced special courses so that Tanjore painting can be learnt by women who look for a hobby or a business. Books have been published on the art and connoisseurs are looking for genuine pieces and learning to recognise the fakes.

Though Tanjore paintings have not been considered ‘high class art’, they were favoured by kings and common people alike through the ages. The art of making deities out of precious stones and gold leaf, belonged to the kingdom of Thanjavur, once ruled by the valiant Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. After Tipu Sultan’s defeat at the hands of the British, the historic temple city came under the rule of the Marathas who brought great glory to the city with the famous Brihadeeshwara Shiva temple built by the Cholas. The Tanjore painting style which originated in this city, flourished during the Maratha rule between the 17th to the 19th centuries. Though the art is entirely South Indian the British high society of that era took a liking to the visual glory of the paintings. The subjects of the paintings were, and even today are deities of the Hindu pantheon such as Krishna in his various moods, Rama, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Parvati in her many forms, Shiva, Kartikeya, Ganesha, Balaji and even Hanuman.

Strangely, the figures of gods and goddesses painted in the Tanjore style were in direct contrast to the delicacy of miniature paintings which were typical of several riyasats in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Kashmir. Miniatures soon acquired the status of classical art though the robust figures of Tanjore paintings remained bound to the temples and worship rooms of Hindu homes.

"The technique of making a Tanjore painting is curious. A wooden base is covered with stretched, unbleached cloth," says Shashi Soni, one prominent artist, "Over this the figure of the god or goddess is sketched. Over this figure, a mixture of limestone, chalk powder and gum is applied in thick layers so that gems and colours can be embedded in the paste. Though early paintings had real gems, now only imitation stones are used. Gold leaf is then pressed into the design to make garments, garlands, architectural details, ornaments and jewels.

"As the name Tanjore suggests," she continues, "These paintings originated in Thanjavoor, a temple town in Tamil Nadu, which was the capital of the Chola dynasty many centuries ago. The artists of south Tamil Nadu followed this style of painting in the 17th to 19th centuries. Maratha princes, Nayaks of the Vijaynagar dynasty, Raju Communities of Tanjore and Naidus of Madurai patronised the art for centuries. Over the centuries, the art became popular and many innovation were made. The figures were influenced by Jainism, Buddhism and Christianity. The figures of flying angels, baby Krishna in the lap of his mother a la Mother Mary and Jesus, Jain tirthankaras, Buddhist deities etc. are a proof of these influences.

"Tanjore paintings are not just a form of art. They are prized possessions for religious people whose link with our culture becomes stronger through them. They are absolutely insulated from contemporary standards of art and are completely self-sufficient in their style. Inlaid with precious stones, embellished with gold leaf work and bonded with time-tested materials, Tanjore paintings are dedicated to popular Indian deities like Krishna and Lakshmi and feature the birds and animals favoured by the gods. Done in two styles — Mysore and Tanjore — they decorate homes as well as form worship items in Indian homes. The Tanjore style of painting uses a higher elevation of ‘gesso’ (white filler material made of gypsum) to accommodate semi-precious stones and vibrant colours. The Mysore style has less embellishment and softer colours.

"The making of a painting involves dedication and meticulous work and is taught by a guru to his shishyas. The detailed decoration of the figures expresses the skill and creativity of the artist. The work of great masters of yore shows their eye for detail and fineness of work. Gold foil is used lavishly to add opulence to the painting. Lastly, dyes are used to add vibrant colours to the figures. A beautiful, traditional frame completes the painting. In the last century, however, Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings gained huge popularity and every south and west Indian home displayed prints of his mythological paintings, reducing the appeal of Tanjore icons.

"Today, however, this art has been revived, thanks to popular demand. Artists have discovered new materials to replace old materials. However, no major changes are seen in the final paintings. People’s response to this art has been great. A large number of women have got work because of this trend."

Shashi Soni, though born a Punjabi, has dedicated herself to this art. Her art gallery Deep Heritage in Mumbai, sells the work of many artists, including herself. In a few months, she will hold an exhibition of Tanjore paintings in Las Vegas in the USA. Madhavi Sonawala, a Gujarati, runs the Kanchana Art Gallery in Mumbai and sells Tanjore paintings to a loyal clientele. Revathy Ramakrishnan and Usha Ragunathan, both Tamilians, have outlets in Chennai, where paintings are sold to elite customers. The art has given a livelihood to many women like Shashi, Madhavi, Revathy and Usha.

"Tanjore paintings were displayed in many countries during the several Festivals of India in the eighties and they have gained world-wide popularity," says Shashi, "The future looks promising and it is certainly worthwhile to cherish this art and improve our skills!"