Bliss 'N' Divine Arts Gallery

Tanjore Artworks and How to add them to Your Space

The gilded Tanjore artworks can be divided into

• a) Icons of individual deities
• b) Paintings that showcase mesmeric mythological scenes.

Paintings of deities standing in a celestial place of worship, surrounded by diminutive figures of priests, devotees, and secondary gods-goddesses, with the lowermost portion of the image showing plates of offerings of fruits, flowers, and other ritual items, are based on the visualization of the interiors of a temple, the “Garbha-griha”, where the deity or group of deities reside.

Portable and endowed with elements that perfectly recreate the devotional ambiance of a Hindu shrine, these impeccable Tanjore paintings are the promise of a personal and ethereal experience of gazing into the large almond eyes of the divine. The second group where the otherworldly tales of pristine Hindu texts come to life are Tanjore paintings with episodes from Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas imprinted upon the canvas.

Popular Tanjore artworks such as “Meenakshi-Kalyanam” (the marriage of goddess Meenakshi or Parvati with Shiva) and “Kalinga-Krishna” (Krishna dancing on the hoods of serpent Kaaliya) are examples of the fluidity of a story used in the traditional and rigid Tanjore idiom, where enabled by the pan-Indian legends, the Tanjore artists become storytellers.

These paintings are rich in subject matter, with a wide range of primary and secondary subjects drawn, each given an individualistic quality with the help of different skin colors. The sheer variety of subjects and the bold expression actualized by the Tanjore artist in a tradition that has not deviated much from its original form is the reason why Tanjore paintings have survived a considerable period of a slump in demand. In fact, in the modern minimalist management of space, a glistening Tanjore painting is the perfect choice to bring character to your surroundings.

In your Place of Worship

Framed by a sturdy teakwood temple, Tanjore paintings of Ishta Devata (tutelary god-goddess) and Kula- Devata (family deity) are a simple, traditional and tested way of bringing this magnificent art form into your house. As the central piece in your place of worship, a Tanjore painting will radiate much-needed spiritual splendor for you to soak in.