The impression of wealth and prosperity is very strong in this Tanjore-style painting. The aura of richness is all around – the intricate designs on the framework and the thrones, the lavish ornaments that are inlaid with precious stones, the beautiful and expensive flowers, and the lavish spread in front. They are apt embellishments for Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kubera and his wife. Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Kubera are the harbingers of prosperity and good fortune. Everyone hopes to receive their blessings by worshipping them. Dhanteras is the special day that is devoted to Lord Kubera. Dhan refers to wealth. Teras refers to the 13th lunar day of either September/October. Deepawali is the day dedicated to the worship of Goddess Lakshmi.
It is right that Goddess Lakshmi is depicted on the top of the painting, for she is the beautiful consort and energy of the magnificent Lord Vishnu. She is a Goddess, and of divine origin. She is a representation of auspiciousness, divinity, wealth, and luxury. She resides in every Hindu home and business establishment. In contrast, Lord Kubera is a demi-God/yaksha, who received blessings from Lord Shiva. He is the king of the yakshas, and the treasurer of the Gods, the soul of whose shimmers through this divine painting.
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.
