Tanjore Paintings

A cloth is pasted onto a wooden plank and coated with a paste of chalk powder and gum, which is smoothed to a matte surface. The drawing is transferred, then the areas that will be gilded are built up in relief with gesso. Gold foil is laid over the raised work and pressed down, glass stones are set into the ornaments, and the remaining surface is painted in bright mineral and, today, acrylic colours.

A single piece can take several weeks. The gold foil, unlike paint, does not tarnish, which is why old Tanjore paintings retain their brilliance.

The style grew out of the painting traditions of the Nayaka and Maratha courts of Thanjavur and absorbed influences from Deccani and European art. Krishna as a child, Rama, Lakshmi and Murugan are the most common subjects. Thanjavur painting holds a Geographical Indication tag, which protects the name for work produced in the region.

Working studios in Thanjavur and Kumbakonam allow visitors to watch artists at work. The Thanjavur Art Gallery and the Saraswathi Mahal complex display historic examples. Poompuhar, the Tamil Nadu government handicrafts emporium, has outlets in Chennai and other cities that sell certified pieces.