Tanjore: mystical painting of India.

Tanjore (or Thanjavur or Thanlavoor) paintings are one of the most popular traditional art forms in Southern India. These ornate religious paintings involve Hindu mythology.

Tanjore paintings became most popular in the southern region of India beginning around the sixteenth-century, and have been passed on from generation to generation since that time. Tanjore paintings were originally created for royalty, and flourished in Tanjavoor, (pronounced Tanjore) the capital city of the Chola Dynasty. The sacred Tanjore paintings are deeply traditional yet they can be innovative within limits.

The paintings are noted for their adornment of gold and semiprecious stones such as rubies, emeralds, and pearls. Currently, the semiprecious stones are often substituted with glass stones. These finely detailed paintings are characterized by rich vibrant colors, dashes of gold, and shimmering stones. The paintings depict Hindu deities because this art of painting flourished at a time when the rulers of several dynasties were building beautiful, striking temples. The figures in these paintings are large and are often framed with a temple-like structure. Most recently, there has been a rebirth of this exotic form of art. Today's Tanjore artists not only recreate the original Tanjore figures, but also experiment with birds, animals, flowers, or more proportioned figures.

My students had the privilege of studying with a Tanjore artist, Mrs. Priya Rajendran, through an artist-in-residency Folk Arts Grant. Because of the growing Asian/Indian population in our area, we focused on the art of India. Priya's artwork reflects the exotic culture of India. Her paintings are rather intimate, all with intricate detail. The bright and glittering depictions of fanciful figures stand out across the room. The paintings are semi-reliefs with the raised-up areas covered in gold leaf and encrusted with stones.

Priya studied in Kerala, the southern area of India, to become a Tanjore artist. She studied with a master artist who showed her many of the steps involved including the use of kitchen ingredients to build up a paste for the relief areas. Some of the processes were left untold. Priya was left to discover the solution to these problems, which included how to prepare the board (wooden plank) for painting. Priya explained to the students the many steps involved in this meticulous work.

Students created a simplified version of the Tanjore paintings using 8 x 10" (20 x 25 cm) canvas boards. We chose the theme of dance, which coincided with our program while allowing for greater creativity. Our students had participated in an assembly where an indian dancer performed while explaining the unusual movements depicting folk dance of India. The dance tells a Hindu mythological story. Students enjoyed experimenting with their newly learned unusual movements at the end of the assembly.

Instead of drawing mythological figures of Hinduism, our young artists illustrated Indian dancers. As Priya and I further explained the dances of India, students were supplied with pictures of male and female dancers dressed in the traditional garb of India. Since our references were black-and-white photocopies, students had many chances for creativity through innovations with color and decoration.

After drawing the figures in pencil, the students were encouraged to draw an elaborate border as seen in many Tanjore paintings. Then students were asked to mark the areas where a relief might be, such as jewelry, a headpiece, or the border.

Using an array of vibrant tempera paints, students painted the background first and then the figure. Many students needed special instruction for creating skin tones and facial features. Priya pointed out that Tanjore artists paint the eyes of the deities last. Eyes are considered sacred, and there are rules that determine the time of day that the eyes may be "opened" as well.

Rather than using kitchen ingredients to make the relief paste, we used light modeling paste from the art store. This seemed like a much nearer, cleaner, and cheaper alternative for our young artists. To make a funnel-like pastry tube, we put the light modeling paste in a corner of a freezer bag. We then used a baggy tie to tighten the bag at the top of the paste. We secured the tie with several wraps of masking tape. This created a makeshift pastry tube. Next, a very tiny hole was cut from the bottom tip of the corner so the paste could be squeezed out. Students were instructed to keep the top of the tube slightly above the surface of the painting.

We applied ultra-fine glitter, rather than gold leaf after the paste was applied. The paste must be moist when the glitter and stones are added; therefore it is best to work one small area at a time.

Students had the opportunity to write about painting and what it meant to them. We also had a classroom critique by discussing the unique qualities of each painting.

Students were very proud of their completed Tanjore masterpieces. We were invited to display our artwork the following fall at the Consulate of India in New York City to commemorate Children's Day, a traditional November holiday in India. The framed Tanjore pictures were displayed on lovely fabric-covered easels throughout the elegant ballroom. My students will never forget this special year of Tanjore paintings.

NATIONAL STANDARD

Students know that the visual arts have both a history and specific relationship to various cultures.

WEB LINK

www.indiacanvas.com/ prevfeature20.htm

Cynthia A. Henn is an elementary art teacher in Stanhope, New Jersey. [e-mail]