Raja Urvalam (Procession) | Traditional Colors with 24 Karat Gold | With Frame

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The background for the hubbub of this royal procession is the imposing architecture of the Rajamahal or the royal palace, whose marble pillars, arches, golden domes, and Jharokha-style windows serve as a visual extension of the king’s abundance. Outlined by the golden frames of these windows, young women and men gaze at the luxuriant regalia of the procession passing the streets of the royal town. Taking the centre stage, the king is placed atop a heavily adorned elephant, an animal that symbolizes valor, regalia, and wisdom- qualities associated with a monarch. Dressed in the manner of Maratha Nayakas and highlighted by a deep red backdrop, the figure of the king stands out.

The crowd on the ground is a heterogeneous group of people- warriors, commanders, commoners, men, and women, all delineated with a discernible individualism. It creates an environment of celebration and devotion with the collective body language of the members. The sheer detail on this Tanjore painting lends it a glorious appeal, transporting us to the lanes of the royal city, and making us one of the onlookers of this majestic procession. Such is the fantastic charm of Thanjavur art. 

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.