Tanjore

Tanjore painting emerged in the Maratha court of Thanjavur in the 16th century, reaching its peak under the patronage of the Maratha ruler Serfoji II in the early 19th century. The art form was developed as a devotional medium, primarily depicting Hindu deities, saints, and scenes from sacred texts.

The distinctive gold foil work — applied over semi-precious stones embedded in the painting surface — gives Tanjore paintings their unique three-dimensional, luminous quality. This technique was developed to give divine figures a radiant, jewel-like appearance befitting their sacred status.

Today, Tanjore painting is a GI-tagged art form practised primarily in and around Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. It remains a deeply devotional art, though contemporary artists also explore non-religious themes. The tradition is considered one of the most technically demanding forms of Indian painting, requiring years of training to master.

Tanjore paintings are created on a cloth-pasted board. The process involves layering gesso (chalk and adhesive mixture) to build up relief, embedding semi-precious stones, and applying gold foil. The painting is then completed with natural and mineral pigments.

The gold work is applied using a special adhesive and then burnished to a high shine. Stones such as rubies, emeralds, and sapphires are sometimes used for embellishment, though glass stones are more common in contemporary work. The final result has a three-dimensional, jewel-encrusted quality unique in Indian painting.