Published on March 26, 2026
A classical artform from southern India, Thanjavur painting – also known as Tanjore painting – is a celebration of the region’s rich artistic tradition, named after the town of Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, India. Tanjore paintings are known for their extravagant depictions of deities using vibrant colors and gaudy embellishments, especially gold foil. Though the artform has undergone various changes over the years, it continues to be popular with art lovers today and inspires many artists with its uniquely Indian style.
Tanjore painting drew inspiration from Indian art of the 16th century, when the Vijayanagara Rayas administered their vast kingdom in southern India through the Nayaka Governors. The Nayakas were great patrons of art and literature. In 1676, Maratha rule was established in the region, and Maratha rulers encouraged the flourish of art and artists. During this time, Tanjore painting truly developed into the form and style in which we recognize it today.
Maratha palaces and buildings were adorned with large paintings of deities as well as Maratha rulers, courtiers, and nobility. Deities were typically depicted with rounded faces, almond-shaped eyes, and streamlined bodies. Flat colors were used to paint the figures, often compactly placed within arches, drapes, and ornate borders. The dense composition was a distinct feature of Tanjore paintings, with faces usually shaded to add a feeling of depth.
With the decline of Maratha rule, the British, who arrived in Tanjore during the Mysore Wars of 1767-99, began to patronize Tanjore artists. In 1773, a British garrison was established in Tanjore, becoming a base for British troops. Artists in and around Tanjore prepared sets of paintings for Company personnel throughout the following century. These collections, known as albums or album paintings, depicted “native” or “Indian” subjects painted in a manner that appealed to English tastes. Common themes included deities and episodes from Hindu mythology, alongside fairs, ceremonies, festivals, caste occupations, and Indian flora and fauna. These works typically had little or no gold foil and rarely used glass or gem inlay. The paintings also featured brief descriptions in English, and sometimes in Tamil or Telugu. Although categorized under the Company style of painting, they retained the Tanjore style and character, executed group of traditional artists.
Tanjore paintings are known as palagai padam – meaning “picture on a wooden plank” – as they are typically created on boards made from jackfruit or teak wood. The use of vibrant colors and gold leaf embellishments is characteristic of Tanjore paintings, with cut glass, pearls, and precious and semi-precious stones also used for decoration.
While artists in the past employed vegetable and mineral dyes as natural colors for their artworks, the use of chemical paints has become common over time. The dazzling color palette includes vibrant shades of reds, blues, and greens, which, along with the richness and dense compositions, ensure that Tanjore paintings stand out from other Indian artforms. Common themes reflect various aspects of Hindu mythology, often focusing on figures such as Bal Krishna and Lord Rama, along with numerous gods and goddesses.
Historically, Tanjore paintings were executed community from Tanjore and Tiruchy and the Naidu community from Madurai. These artists, originally Telugu-speaking migrants from Andhra Pradesh, settled in Tamil Nadu after the fall of the Vijayanagara Empire. Patronage was essential to these artists, and the size of their paintings often depended on the subject and the patron’s preferences. The creation of the artwork required considerable perseverance and perfection, with the process regarded as sacred and performed with ritual purity and humility . True to Indian artistic tradition, most artists chose to remain anonymous and did not sign their paintings.
Tanjore painting was also influenced artistic styles from the Vijayanagara school, such as Kalamkari and Tirupati painting styles. Tirupati paintings, produced in the temple town of Tirupati, used various media and techniques to portray deities and were often gilded and gem-set, resembling Tanjore paintings. Additionally, reverse glass paintings from southern India were heavily influenced style, depicting religious figures in vibrant colors with metallic foils.
The Mysore painting artform shares similarities with Tanjore painting, often leading to confusion between the two. Both styles were executed the Raju and Naidu communities and trace their roots back to the Vijayanagara period. However, notable differences exist, such as the use of paper as the base for Mysore paintings and a limited application of gold foil, glass beads, and precious and semi-precious stones. Themes in Mysore paintings often reflect the contemporary style of the Mysore Palace, featuring elaborate landscapes in contrast to the dense compositions of Tanjore paintings.
The tradition of Tanjore painting persists today, primarily in Tamil Nadu, where a few dedicated artists keep the artform alive. With synthetic colors increasingly being used and traditional jackfruit and teak wood being replaced , Tanjore paintings have entered a phase of adaptation.
Today, Tanjore paintings enjoy broad appeal and have been commercialized extensively, even being sold in street markets. Despite this popularity, the general decline in quality is a concern for many art lovers. Fortunately, workshops and training camps are being organized to ensure that the artform continues to thrive, preserving its rich, traditional, and artistic elements that define the essence of Tanjore painting.
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