Tanjore

Tanjore Painting: South India's Glittering Classical Art

Let's explore the traditional paintings from Tanjore!

Introduction and Origin

Tanjore painting is one of India's most distinctive classical art forms, originating in the city of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. Known for its lavish gold foil work, glittering jewel embellishments, and richly adorned deity figures, this tradition has decorated temples, palaces, and homes across South India for over four centuries. Today, Tanjore painting stands as a living symbol of devotional artistry, connecting the spiritual world of Hindu mythology with extraordinary craft skill - and its appeal continues to grow among collectors, art lovers, and learners across India and beyond.

What Is Tanjore Painting?

Tanjore painting is a classical South Indian art form that originates from Thanjavur (also called Tanjore) in Tamil Nadu. These paintings are also known as Palagai Padam, a Tamil phrase that translates to 'picture on a wooden plank.' The art form is immediately recognisable by its central deity figure - typically depicted in full face with large, round protruding eyes and a well-structured body - set against a richly decorated background of gold leaf and semi-precious stones.

Traditionally, the figures are supported by curtains, pillars, or architectural arches, and the compositions are embellished with cut-coloured glass pieces, glass beads, pearls, and semi-precious stones. The colours are dense and bright, applied in heavy pigments over a surface prepared from raw lime powder and tamarind seed paste on teak or jackfruit wood boards. Tanjore painting has historically served as devotional art - decorating inner walls and ceilings of temples, homes, and palaces - and was once considered a symbol of affluence and social status.

History and Origin

The origins of Tanjore painting trace back to the Nayaka dynasty of Madurai, who began patronising the art form around the 16th century. At this stage, the art drew inspiration from classical dances and literature. As Nayaka rule extended across the region, themes shifted toward Hindu epics, temples, and religious iconography.

The art form reached its full classical height during Maratha rule between the 17th and 19th centuries. The Thanjavur style we recognise today was developed under the patronage of King Serfoji II, and the Marathas also introduced reverse glass painting to Tanjore artisans. The painting tradition thrived across communities including the Marathas, the Raju community of Tanjore and Trichi (also called Jinigara and Chitragara), the Naidus of Madurai, and the Chettiar community. These were largely Telugu-speaking communities that settled in Tamil Nadu after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 17th century. After Maratha rule, the Chettiar community continued patronage; as Shaivites, they produced an abundance of paintings depicting Lord Shiva. The final look of Tanjore paintings as we see them today was established in the 17th century. Since then, the art form has remained aesthetically consistent, though rare portraits of cultural personalities and political figures have emerged in more recent decades as a new wave of subjects.

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Key Features and Famous Artists

Key Features and Visual Style What sets Tanjore painting apart from other Indian folk art traditions is its unmistakable combination of lustrous gold surfaces, jewel-encrusted figures, and deeply devotional subject matter. The compositions are formal and frontal, with a single deity or divine figure placed at the centre. Every element of the visual style has a specific craft logic behind it.

The central motifs are Hindu deities, particularly Bal Krishna, Lord Rama, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Shiva - these were the most painted subjects both on portable panels and on temple walls and stone pillars.
The base is traditionally made of teak wood or boards from the jackfruit tree, cut to size and prepared with a paste of tamarind seeds mixed with raw lime powder to create white gesso, which is then polished smooth with sandpaper.
Gold leaf is applied to the raised, embossed sections of the composition, which are built up using gesso modelled over the sketch contours - a technique that gives the paintings their characteristic three-dimensional quality.
The palette uses dense, bright pigments; historically, these came from vegetable and natural mineral dyes, and the final painting is embellished with semi-precious stones, pearls, cut-coloured glass pieces, and glass beads.
Figures are singularly depicted, facing forward, with full face, round protruding eyes, and a well-structured body - often framed by architectural elements such as curtains, pillars, or arches.
The finished painting is framed to protect the surface from dust and damage, keeping the gold leaf and stone work undisturbed over time.

Famous Artists of Tanjore Painting

While Tanjore painting has historically been practised by hereditary artisan communities rather than individual celebrated masters, several artists have become well known for keeping this traditional Indian art alive in modern times.

Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906), though primarily a Kerala-born oil painter, significantly influenced the iconography used in Tanjore painting through his widely printed calendar art depicting Hindu deities. His depictions of Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Bal Krishna became reference images for generations of Tanjore artists across Tamil Nadu.

S. Elayaraja, based in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, is a contemporary Tanjore artist recognised for reviving classical compositions using traditional teak board preparation and natural colour techniques. He has worked to document the step-by-step process to ensure younger artisans understand the full craft method.

T. Vijayalakshmi, also from Thanjavur, is among the female artists who have carried the tradition forward, specialising in large-format deity compositions with intricate gold foil work. Her pieces are held in private collections across India and abroad.

K. Shanmugam, from the Kumbakonam district of Tamil Nadu, represents the artisan community lineage of Tanjore painting. He follows the complete traditional process from board preparation through gesso modelling, gold leaf application, painting, and stone setting - preserving the multi-step craft precisely as it was practised under Maratha patronage.