A thin line of dark red stones and a regal golden arch with green drapery frame the painting. From the center of the arch hangs a golden ovular swing on which sits a Shuka (parrot), the bird mount of Kamadeva, Lord of Love, peeping at the warming romance that unfolds in the palace. Against a pitch-black background, on a throne, supported by a silken green bolster are the divine couple- Sri Radha and Krishna, a picture-perfect duo.

Krishna has a pinkish skin tone that looks wondrous adorned by various traditional South Indian jewelry and a pink waist cloth over his Pitambara dhoti. His feet dangling, reach a Pithi (footrest) below, his hands are engaged in the act of braiding Radha’s hair, and his eyes are drinking the nectar of Sringaara Rasa.

Wrapped in a red silk sari, golden blouse, and exquisite ornaments, Sri Radha in this Radha-Krishna painting looks no less than a newlywed bride, who coyly holds her legs together while priding in earning back the affection of her lover. A female attendant stands at Sri Radha’s side, holding a mirror for her and a fly whisk, experiencing the bliss of being a part of the Lila (divine play). On the red carpet that sprawls on the floor are two bowls full of fruits and flowers.

A plethora of vibrant shades on this Thanjavur artwork enriches the experience of gazing at it with a sense of rich aesthetic and awe. Complementing shades along with the glistening 24-karat gold embellishments infuse this Radha-Krishna Tanjore painting with the heavenly nectar of Sringaara.

Gilded Elegance: Unraveling the Artistry of Tanjore Paintings

Tanjore painting is a traditional form of art in the South Indian style and was started by the inhabitants of a small town known as Thanjavur of Tamil Nadu. This gives it another name called “Thanjavur painting”. This painting draws its figures, designs, and inspiration from the time when Vedic culture was prevalent in India. Certain remarkable features of a Tanjore painting distinguish it from other paintings. Some of these are pure gold or gold foil coating on gesso work, the use of rich and vivid colors, and the inlay of cut-glass or semi-precious and precious stones. The subjects of most of the Tanjore paintings are Hindu Gods, Goddesses, and saints. The main devotional figure is portrayed in the central portion of the painting and is usually surrounded by various secondary figures.

The process of making a Tanjore painting

The classic Tanjore paintings are done on wooden planks and hence are also referred to as Palagai Padam in South India (Palagai = Wooden plank, Padam = Picture). Creating a masterpiece is never an easy task but the skilled artists of Thanjavur have been following the tradition of making timeless Tanjore paintings for decades.

The making process begins with preparing the wooden board or canvas. The size of the board depends upon the choice of the patron. The next step is to paste cardboard over the wooden board and then a cotton fabric is stretched and pasted upon it using Arabic gum.

Now that the cloth is attached to the wooden panel, a rough sketch of the motifs and figure is drawn onto the fabric. After this, a paste of chalk powder and water-soluble adhesive is evenly applied over the base and smoothed.

Thereafter, the outlines which were made or traced using a stencil are now ready to be beautified and decked with various add-ons. The usual materials for decoration are cut-glass, pearls, semi-precious and precious gems, gold leaf, and laces. 22 or 18 Karat Gold leaves and gems of varied hues are especially inlaid in areas like pillars, arches, walls, thrones, and dresses. In the final step, the rest of the painting is filled with rich and striking colors such as shades of red, blue, and green. Formerly, the artists used natural colors like vegetable and mineral dyes instead of chemical paints. The entire painting is then cleaned and refined to give a flawless finished look.

Since the making of a single piece of Tanjore painting requires a complex and elaborate process, the artists usually take at least one or two months to complete it. The use of pure gold foil and gems for beautification is a characteristic of an authentic Tanjore painting. Due to this, Tanjore paintings last for generations without getting tarnished and are much more expensive than general paintings. Though the art form has undergone various changes and technique modifications over the years, it continues to attract the hearts of art lovers.