They hold a unique place in the world of art due to their intricate designs and the use of gold foil, which adds a stunning sheen to the artworks. In this article, we explore the essence of Tanjore paintings and highlight the Top 5 Tanjore Paintings, along with their respective artists.

Introduction to Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore paintings date back to the 16th century and were initially practiced by the Nayakas of Thanjavur under the patronage of the Vijayanagara Rayas. The art form flourished in the Maratha period and has continued to be a revered tradition ever since. These paintings typically depict Hindu gods and goddesses, saints, and mythical figures. The distinctive features of Tanjore paintings include the use of vibrant colors, elaborate gesso work, and gold leaf embellishments, which create a sense of opulence and divine beauty.

Top 5 Tanjore Paintings

Here are the top 5 Tanjore Paintings and their artists. Learn about the vibrant colors, gold embellishments, and the artists who bring these exquisite Indian artworks to life.

1. Saraswati (1930)

• Artist: Raja Ravi Varma

Saraswati is the goddess of learning, and the 43rd chapter of the Brahma Purana describes her birth from the sublime or sattvic face of Brahma. Saraswati thereafter asked Brahma who she was and what her duties were. Brahma declared that she would be called Saraswati and was given three duties: to reside at the tip of the tongue and dance on the tongue of learned people, to reside on earth as a river, and to reside with Brahma.

Ravi Varma Press, derived from a painting by Raja Ravi Varma, follows the iconographic description of Saraswati as found in the 50th chapter of the Agni Purana. She is attired in white, playing the Veena with two arms and holding an aksha-mala (a string of pearls) and a pustaka (book) in the other hands. Early religious texts do not mention a vehicle for Saraswati, but later texts provide for a swan or peacock. This is the most common and popular image of Saraswati by the Ravi Varma Press.

2. Navaneeta Krishna (1850 AD – 1900 AD)

• Artist: Unknown,

This image of the child Krishna, squatting on his golden throne with a pot of butter in his tiny hands, a form widely known as Navaneeta Krishna, is a beloved theme of Tanjore artists. Elaborately bejeweled but without a piece of costume to cover his privacy, Navaneeta Krishna impresses not by his divinity but by his child-like innocence. With mischief in his eyes and a bewitching smile, he grabs the pot of butter and holds a butter-ball, ready to eat.

The figure of Navaneeta Krishna is placed under the main arch with a black background, while the side arches, with a red background, house Yashoda and Rohini. On Krishna’s right stands the Tanjore king Shivaji II (1833 – 1855), paying homage to Navaneeta Krishna. The beads inlaid over the central part of the pot reveal three sacred Vaishnava motifs: disc, threefold vertical forehead mark, and conch.

3. Madurai Veeran and His Two Lovers Pommi and Vellaiyamma

• Artist: Unknown, Tanjore school, Late 19th – Early 20th century

Madurai Veeran, the hero of Madurai, is depicted as a warrior seated on a white horse with his consorts. Below the horse, the warrior is seen killing a tiger, accompanied by a dog. All figures in the upper section wear horizontal marks on their foreheads, making them devotees of Shiva. Madurai Veeran, according to epic narratives, was under the employ of Tirumala Nayakkar (1623–1659) when he fell in love with the temple dancer Vellaiyammal.

Caught trying to elope, his limbs were amputated, but he eventually beheaded himself. Nayakkar built a temple for Veeran, now considered the family deity of many castes in Tamil Nadu. The painting on glass, in the style and composition of a Thanjavur painting, includes frontality and the relative size of the figures, providing affordable devotional images to middle-class households, small temples, and religious gatherings.

4. Sir Thanjavur Madhava Row (1881)

• Artist: Raja Ravi Varma, 1881

Sir Thanjavur Madhava Row (1828-1891) was a Dewan (Prime Minister) to the Kingdoms of Travancore, Baroda, and Indore. An influential person, he introduced Raja Ravi Varma to the Court of Baroda. Sir Madhava acquired the painting “Sita Bhumipravesh” and presented it to Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III. In 1884, he suggested to Ravi Varma to send select works to Europe for oleographs, which eventually led to the establishment of the Ravi Varma Fine Art Lithographic Press in 1894.

5. Sugriva, the Monkey King (1760-1770)

Artist: Unknown, 1760-1770

The seated monkey king Sugriva presents the “fear not” gesture with his right hand. He served as Rama’s faithful ally during the war against Ravana. This work appears to have been made for French Jesuit missionaries by South Indian temple muralists. During the 1700s, missionaries commissioned sets of paintings to learn about the gods and literary figures popular among the people of the region.

Conclusion

Tanjore paintings are a testament to the rich cultural heritage and artistic brilliance of South India. Each painting is a unique blend of traditional techniques, vivid colors, and opulent gold work, making them timeless pieces of art.

The Top 5 Tanjore Paintings highlighted in this article – Saraswati, Navaneeta Krishna, Madurai Veeran and His Two Lovers Pommi and Vellaiyamma, Sir Thanjavur Madhava Row, and Sugriva, the Monkey King – not only exemplify the beauty and intricacy of this art form but also honor the legacy of the artists who created them. These masterpieces continue to inspire and captivate art enthusiasts around the world, preserving the grandeur of Tanjore paintings for future generations.

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Indian Paintings have been around for a long time and have been passed down from generation to generation. Modern art paintings on the other hand, have only been around for a few hundred years and are more influenced by Western culture.

Indian paintings are often considered to be more traditional and less abstract.

Modern art paintings are often more abstract and experimental with a focus on color and form.

Origin on India Paintings:

India is one of the most diverse countries in the world with a variety of cultures, religions, languages, and lifestyles. The country has a long history of painting which dates back to the 2nd century BC. Indian paintings have always been influenced by various cultural traditions such as Mughal painting which was heavily influenced by Islamic art.

The origin of Indian paintings is not very clear, but it is believed that they were influenced by the Buddhist and Hindu religions.

Indian paintings are mainly divided into two categories:

1. The traditional or folk art of India which is popular in rural areas.
2. The modern art of India which is more popular in metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Mumbai.

The most popular form of Indian painting is the Mughal painting which was created during the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. This style was also called as Islamic-Persian painting and was influenced by Persian, Central Asian, Byzantine, Chinese and European traditions as well as other Indian styles like Rajput painting and Pahari painting.

Also, Explore the most famous paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.

Types of Indian Paintings:

Indian paintings are one of the oldest forms of painting in the world. There are many different types of Indian paintings. These are some Most popular & traditional painting styles of India:

1. Mughal Paintings: These paintings were made by the Mughal Empire in India between 1526 and 1857. They are characterized by their use of vivid colors and intricate designs.
2. Rajput Paintings: These paintings were made by Rajputs in India between 1300-1900. They usually depict battles, hunting scenes, and courtly activities.
3. Folk Paintings: These paintings were made in rural areas or villages in India before 1900. They often depict life as it was lived there at that time – farming, festivals, celebrations, etc.
4. Modern and Contemporary Indian Paintings: These paintings have been greatly influenced by ancient Indian art. They are characterized by intense colors, abstract forms, and a lack of perspective.
5. Madhubani Painting: Madhubani painting has been practiced in India for over two centuries. It is believed that the art originated in a village called Madhubani, now part of the Mithila region of Bihar. In its traditional form, it is done on a piece of cloth or paper made from cotton or silk. The colors are derived from minerals and vegetables such as turmeric and rust, a natural earth pigment.
6. Warli Painting: The Warli painting style is a folk art tradition of the Warlis, an indigenous tribe from Maharashtra in Western India. A major part of the culture and mythology of this tribal community, these paintings are often ephemeral as they are done on cloth and other perishable materials.
7. Kalighat Painting: Kalighat painting is a form of folk painting, which developed in the Kolkata region of India. This type of art was introduced by the British during their time of occupation. The Kalighat paintings are usually religious and depict scenes from the Hindu epics and Vaishnavism tales such as Krishna, Ramayana, and Mahabharata.
8. Phad painting: The Phad painting is an art form from Rajasthan, India. It is sometimes called a “minor picture” or “miniature painting” because its size typically ranges from 10 cm to 30 cm wide and 10 cm high.
9. Miniature Painting: A miniature painting is a painting that is not as large as a traditional canvas. Miniatures are typically 3-5 inches in height and width but can be larger or smaller depending on the artist’s preference. The artist will create the work with a paintbrush or by airbrush.
10. Gond Painting: Gond Painting is done by artists from the Gond tribes of India. Gond painting is a popular art form and unique folk art which is a part of the Indian culture. It’s painted on walls and houses in tribal villages in central India.

Origin of Modern Art Paitings:

Modern art paintings were developed in the late 1800s. They have been influenced by different cultures and art movements, such as Impressionism, Cubism, Abstract Expressionism, and Pop Art.

In the late 1800s, artists started to break away from traditional painting techniques and began to experiment with new styles. This was called Modern Painting.

The first paintings were created by the Egyptians and they were drawn on the walls of their tombs and temples. They used different colors to represent specific deities, and they were also the first to use perspective in their art.

Types of Modern Art Paintings:

A painting is a work of art created by applying paint, pigment, color, or other medium to a surface (usually canvas) that is usually large enough to cover the majority of the surface.

In this section, we will explore the most common types of modern art paintings: Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, Minimalism, and Photorealism.

1. Abstract Painting: A form of art in which shapes and colors are used to create an image that may be representational or non-representational.
2. Expressionism: Expressionism is an artistic movement that originated in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. It was part of a general reaction against Impressionism and other movements within Europe at the time. The term “expressionist” was adopted by German artists as they reacted against naturalistic tendencies in art and instead wanted to express emotions through their work.
3. Pop Art: Pop art is a form of visual art, which is characterized by an interest in popular culture and mass media imagery. Pop Art emerged as an artistic style in the 1950s in Britain and America. It was first introduced to America through the paintings of Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg.
4. Minimalism and Photorealism: Minimalism is a style of art that emphasizes simplicity and abstraction. Minimalist artists use basic shapes and forms to create their work, with the goal of embracing simplicity in the chaos of life. Photorealism is a genre of painting or drawing, as well as a term used by art critics to describe paintings that appear to be photographed in their realism.
5. Figurative: Figurative paintings depict people, animals, or objects that can be recognized in some way such as through their shape or coloration.
6. Impressionist painting: Impressionist paintings are about capturing the sense of light on an object or scene in a moment in time.
7. Acrylic painting: Acrylic painting is a relatively new painting medium that was first introduced in the late 1940s. It is composed of polymerized acrylic resins and pigments and is known for its quick drying time, durability, and versatility.

What Should You Purchase:

Have you ever wondered which kind of paintings should you buy? Well, if you are in the market for Indian paintings or modern art paintings, then I will help you make an informed decision.

The first thing that we will do is to look at the difference between the two types of artwork. Indian paintings typically use natural colors and employ a variety of materials including rice paper, watercolor, tempera, and acrylic. Modern paintings use more abstract forms of painting and often employ oil paint.

The second thing about the price, Indian paintings are a very popular choice for art collectors. The Indian paintings have been around for centuries and have a rich history to them. The first challenge that comes with buying Indian paintings is the price. These paintings are often expensive, so you need to be able to afford them in order to buy them. They also take a lot of time and effort to produce, so there is usually not enough supply for everyone who wants one.

Modern art paintings are also known as contemporary art or abstract art. These types of paintings often use a variety of colors to create an interesting visual effect on the viewer. Modern paintings use different techniques and often emphasize bold color choices rather than intricate detail. They also tend to be less symbolic than Indian paintings which makes them more accessible to a wider audience.

The Final Words:

The major difference between Indian paintings and modern art paintings is that the former are more traditional and the latter is more abstract.

In Indian paintings, there is a lot of emphasis on the story and not so much on the aesthetics. In modern art paintings, it is just about aesthetics.

You can see it on our website Artshaili.com Homepage.

Now your turn, Let me know in the comment section if you have any questions or doubts.

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