Ancient South Indian Art Form
Tanjore painting is an ancient South Indian art form, which originated in the city of Thanjavur in Karnataka. The word ‘thanjore’ refers to the channel of the river that flows through the state. The work of Thanjaveerth artist is called Tanjore painting. The most commonly found paintings are Boat Painting, portrait painting, flower painting, landscape painting, flower bouquets, etc. These pictures have become part of the heritage and culture of the people.
Paintings depicting spiritualism, humanity, and romance can be classified under the category of Thanjavur Painting. Paintings depicting domestic animals such as deer, cows, buffaloes, dogs, cats, and many more domestic animals have also found a place in the category of Thanjavur paintings.
These paintings are usually done on solid wood, either bamboo or earthen wood. The most common subjects that are found in these works are flowers, landscapes, and human paintings. Other than these, Thanjaveerth artists painted Indian Gods, deities, mythological figures, and even some mythological creatures such as dragons and elephants.
Evolution fo Thanjaveerth Paintings
The subject of Thanjaveerth paintings has evolved over some time. The earlier versions of this reform were based on human and rural subjects. But now, both rural and urban aspects of this art form are also included in the paintings. The artists of this art form are now well known all over the world. The uniqueness of the artwork is evident from the fact that this artform is entirely different from the other forms of art.
The distinct feature of this south Indian art form is that it uses vibrant colors that make the images look very lively. The best thing about this type of Tanjore painting is that all the elements of the artwork relate to each other. The use of red color in this type of art is a perfect example. This reform also makes use of lots of blue and green hues. All these colors help to make the images look very bright and cheerful.
Some of the subjects of sunflowers, cowboys, and other such images often found in Hindu and Thanjavur paintings are well illustrated in Hindu pantyhose. As is evident from the name itself, this type of Hindu pantyhose is made from cotton. These are not the normal socks that you would find. The cotton used here is very fine and beautiful. It adds to the festive feel of the image as well as enhancing its attractiveness.
Why Tanjore Painting is Main Subject in Hindu
In Hindu and Thanjavur painting, the main subject is usually a goddess sporting many arms adorned with weapons and jewels. A tiger or a panther often accompanies it. Sometimes, the subject matter is as simple as a lady wearing an embroidered sari with flowers adorning her feet. In the case of the latter, we can picture the flowers being exotic indeed!
The concept of art in general and Hinduism, in particular, portrays beautiful and virile women as the symbol of their religion. This is what we see in Hindu and Thanjavur paintings. It is because of this reason that these types of art forms have been admired worldwide.
When we talk about Indian art, we cannot leave out that this tradition has inspired artists who have produced some of the most magnificent paintings ever. Bapu Marathe’s art forms, in particular, have inspired many. We owe a lot to artists such as this. The beauty of a woman is forever. And this is something we can never forget when we hold a beautiful Hindu Tanjore painting in our homes.
