Krishna Darbar | Traditional Colors With 24K Gold | Teakwood Frame

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The countenance of Sri Krishna in this Tanjore Darbaar Krishna painting is brimming with innocence through his elongated eyes and child-like features, which are contrasted by the mature kingly posture in which he sits on the hexagonal throne. Numerous ornaments, Vaijayanti mala (floral garland), and Pitambara (yellow dhoti characteristics of Vishnu and his incarnations) beautify Sri Krishna. The serenity of his manner spreads in the painting- in the deep and hushed red on the ground and regal blue on the wall. Two female attendants, holding a fan and parrot in their hands, dressed in traditional South Indian attire flank the enthroned Sri Krishna in this Thanjavur art. Krishna has a blob of butter (Makhan)in his right hand which he holds close to his mouth, for relishing his favorite edible.

Near Krishna’s footrest in this painting are two children with a pot of Makhan, a cow, and a holy Tulsi plant- two of them associated with Krishna’s Lila (divine play) and the basil plant, a pious element in Vaishnavism and Hinduism. In the lower section of this Darbaar Krishna Tanjore painting are three symmetrical arched frames with intricate floral patterns in which three phases of the Lord’s Lilas are captured. In the structure on the viewer’s left is Krishna holding a fragrant lotus in his adolescence, enjoying the company of his beloved Sri Radha. In the center is Bala-Krishna or Krishna as a child, in the warm embrace of Maa Yashoda. The third frame depicts the adulthood of Krishna where he stands alongside his chief consort Rukmini. All three scenes possess the sweetness a devotee can derive by immersing in their beauty, extending the chance to see and appreciate Krishna’s heavenly Lilas.

In the golden arch of the darbar hall are two figures of winged celestial maidens flanking the face of glory or Kirtimukha, an ancient Indian symbol for the prowess of the divinity it hangs over. Luxurious green draperies tied to the arch with pearl-tasseled strings further the regality of this Darbar Krishna Tanjore painting. Sharply cut green and red glass beads pasted along with the glistening 24-karat gold and the use of traditional colors, all framed inside a durable teakwood frame, you can behold the beauty of Krishna-Lila for years with this Thanjavur artwork.

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.