The vibrant and unique art of Tanjore paintings which are characterized by the embedment of jewels and gold on a canvas, originated in the village of Thanjavur, in the southern part of India. The Tanjore paintings unlike the conventional paintings which are made by brushing paints on a canvas are instead done by gluing precious gems and gold leaves to decorate the figures mostly that of deities. This art has a very rich history. The Tanjore paintings belong to a totally different school of art. They originated way back around the 16th century during the reign of the Chola Empire. The Cholas were very liberal and promoted art and culture to a great extent. It was under their rule that this revolutionary art form evolved and flourished.

Today this art is soon on the verge of extinction. With just a few people practicing it and it solely taking the form of family inherited art form, it is soon losing exposure due to the lack of knowledge transfer.

On account of the style involved in making these paintings and the use of materials like pieces of glass, pearls, stones and gold, these paintings are attributed with a beautiful 3 dimensional effect that is truly next to Royalty. The vibrant colors that are used to portray the patent large and round figures of Hindu gods and goddesses with their almond-shaped eyes, give a beautiful touch of royalty and culture to any décor they are part of. The main themes of these paintings revolve around the Hindu religion and consist of the various Hindu deities.

How are these paintings actually made?

These paintings are made using the base of a canvas on which the figure of a deity is sketched. Generally these paintings consist of only one main figure. The canvas prior to the sketching is pasted onto a wooden base like a plywood sheet. In the ancient times, however the wood of the Jackfruit tree was used as the base. Once the canvas is pasted the mixture of either limestone or zinc oxide in an adhesive is applied on the canvas. After this dries the artist then sketches the figure onto the canvas using a piece of charcoal or pencil. The artist then starts embellishing the painting by sticking the material using a brush.

These days however the modern artists have moved slightly away from the traditional aspect of deities being depicted in their paintings. They are extending this art form to their respective signature styles