Maarg Manthan · Topic 3.7

Miniature Painting in South India (Tanjore, Mysore)

Art & Culture › Painting · Topic 3.7

South Indian miniature painting is best known through Thanjavur (Tanjore) paintings of Tamil Nadu and Mysore paintings of Karnataka, both traced to Vijayanagara patronage and flourishing under the Nayakas, Marathas and Wodeyars from the 16th to 19th century. Tanjore paintings are made on wooden planks (palagai padam) with gesso work, gold foil and semi-precious stones, in bright colours showing a central deity in an arch. Mysore paintings are subtler, with gold leaf and muted colours. The Sritattvanidhi of Krishnaraja Wodeyar III is its great manuscript, and both crafts hold Geographical Indication (GI) tags.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Art & Culture · Painting

At a Glance

Tanjore Tamil Nadu, plank painting with gold foil and stones
Mysore Karnataka, muted colours with gold leaf
Roots Vijayanagara and Nayaka patronage
Great manuscript Sritattvanidhi, Mysore
Status Both are GI tagged
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Art and Culture: Painting

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the Pahari school and moves south. It shows how the Vijayanagara tradition continued under the Nayakas, Marathas and Wodeyars after the fall of the empire. Previous topic: Pahari School of Painting. Next topic: Regional Paintings (Madhubani, Warli, Patachitra, Kalamkari, Phad, Gond).

How Do Tanjore and Mysore Paintings Differ?

Feature	Thanjavur (Tanjore) painting	Mysore painting
State and patrons	Tamil Nadu; Nayakas and Marathas, notably Serfoji II	Karnataka; Wodeyar kings, notably Krishnaraja Wodeyar III
Base	Wooden plank, cloth pasted on it, called palagai padam	Paper or cloth pasted on wood
Gesso work	Thick, raised relief with a paste of chalk and gum, often decorated with glass beads and stones	Fine, lighter gesso, applied for ornaments
Gold	Gold foil, heavy and shining	Gold leaf, subtle
Colours	Bright and bold	Soft and muted
Composition	Central deity in an arch or mandapa, small attendants around	Delicate lines, graceful figures, more detailed backgrounds
Themes	Krishna, Rama, Nataraja, Balakrishna, Shiva	Hindu deities and court scenes

What Are the Origins and Main Works?

Vijayanagara roots: both styles claim descent from the Vijayanagara murals after the empire fell in 1565
Thanjavur Nayakas: Nayaka rulers of the 16th and 17th century supported the first Tanjore paintings
Marathas: the Maratha rulers of Thanjavur, including Serfoji II (1798 to 1832), patronised art, learning and the Saraswati Mahal Library
Mysore: the Wodeyar court patronised the style from the 17th century, and it grew most under later kings
Krishnaraja Wodeyar III: ruled from 1799 to 1868; commissioned the Sritattvanidhi, an illustrated encyclopedia in Kannada of about 1,500 paintings
Sritattvanidhi: covers deities, rituals, games, music and kingship in text and painting
Making of Tanjore: sketch on cloth, apply gesso, paste gold foil and stones, then colour
Makers: traditional artist families, who learn by apprenticeship

What Else Should You Remember?

Palagai padam: means plank painting in Tamil, because the base is a wooden board, often of jackfruit or teak wood
GI status: Mysore Traditional Paintings were registered under the Geographical Indications Act, 1999 in 2005-06 and Thanjavur Paintings in 2007-08
Alternate spellings: Tanjore, Thanjavur and Tanjavur are the same place, and Mysore is now officially Mysuru
Sritattvanidhi and learning: its illustrations are a record of Karnataka culture and games like chaturanga
Raja Ravi Varma link: Kerala’s Ravi Varma took Hindu devotional imagery into a European oil style, as in Modern Paintings (Bengal School, Raja Ravi Varma)
Contemporary use: Tanjore paintings are common as home shrine pieces and gifts, and artisans use acrylics and real gold
Compared with Pahari: southern paintings are bolder and more decorative than the soft Pahari works, as in Pahari School of Painting
Lepakshi link: earlier Vijayanagara murals are discussed in Tradition of Mural Paintings in India (Kerala Murals, Lepakshi)
Temples: see Nayaka Temples and Hampi, Karnataka (also spelt Vijayanagar) Best-known patron Krishnadevaraya of the Tuluva dynasty…">Vijayanagara Period Temples for the dynastic setting
Mysore Palace: the Mysore Palace has wall paintings and a gallery of royal paintings
Support: the Ministry of Textiles Handicrafts Development Commissioner and state emporia market these crafts
Registry note: Mysore Traditional Paintings and Thanjavur Paintings are separate GI registrations, so each state holds its own tag
Study order: remember the plank base and heavy gesso for Tanjore, and the delicate gold leaf and muted colours for Mysore, then attach a patron to each place
Exam caution: do not confuse these court crafts with folk paintings such as Madhubani or Warli, which are community arts made for ritual and daily life
Museums: the Thanjavur Art Gallery in the Nayak Durbar Hall and the Jaganmohan Palace art gallery in Mysore display collections of these paintings
Devotional use: Tanjore paintings are placed in home shrines and temples, and many show Balakrishna, Rama coronation and Shiva as Nataraja

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Material: gesso, gold foil, glass beads, stones
Patrons: Nayakas, Marathas, Wodeyars
Great work: Sritattvanidhi
State match: Tanjore to Tamil Nadu, Mysore to Karnataka
Common errors: giving Tanjore to Kerala or Mysore painting to the Marathas

As an analytical point, these crafts survive through devotional demand and GI protection. The challenge is keeping the quality as cheaper imitations spread, and linking the artists to tourism and design training.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Materials Gesso and gold
GI Both tagged
Patrons Dynasty match

What Came Next?

The next topic covers regional folk paintings such as Madhubani, Warli, Patachitra and Gond. Next topic: Regional Paintings (Madhubani, Warli, Patachitra, Kalamkari, Phad, Gond).

Key People and Terms

Gesso Chalk and gum paste
Palagai padam Plank painting
Sritattvanidhi Mysore illustrated text
Gold foil Thin gold sheet
Nayaka Vijayanagara governor dynasty
Wodeyar Mysore dynasty

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Tanjore: gesso, gold foil, stones, plank.
Mysore: muted colours, gold leaf.
Sritattvanidhi: Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.
Both have GI tags.
Roots in Vijayanagara patronage.

Do Not Confuse With

Tanjore and Mysore Bold embossed versus subtle
Tanjore and Madhubani Court devotional craft versus folk wall art
Wodeyars and Marathas Mysore versus Thanjavur patrons

Memory Hook

Tanjore glitters on a plank, Mysore whispers in leaf.

Mains Angle

Questions ask about craft survival. These points give a frame.

Patronage Dynasties to temples
GI Brand protection
Livelihood Artisan families

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Discuss the features and survival challenges of Tanjore and Mysore paintings.”

How to Answer

Intro Place both schools.
Features Table of differences.
Patrons Nayaka to Wodeyar.
Close GI and tourism.

GS Relevance

Prelims: Tanjore and Mysore paintings, materials, patrons, GI tags. GS Paper 1: Indian heritage and culture, southern painting traditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Tanjore painting?

Tanjore or Thanjavur painting is a South Indian devotional art of Tamil Nadu, made on wooden planks. It uses raised gesso work, gold foil and semi-precious stones, with bright colours and a central deity in an arch. It flourished under the Nayakas and the Marathas and holds a Geographical Indication tag.

What is the difference between Tanjore and Mysore paintings?

Tanjore paintings, from Tamil Nadu, are bold and bright, with heavy gesso, gold foil and stones. Mysore paintings, from Karnataka, are softer and more delicate, with muted colours, fine lines and gold leaf. Both trace their origin to Vijayanagara patronage and are GI tagged.

What is the Sritattvanidhi?

The Sritattvanidhi is an illustrated encyclopedia in Kannada compiled under Krishnaraja Wodeyar III of Mysore, with about 1,500 paintings. It covers deities, rituals, music, games and kingship, and is a main record of the Mysore painting tradition and of 19th-century court culture.

Who patronised Tanjore paintings?

The Nayaka rulers of Thanjavur in the 16th and 17th centuries began the tradition, and the Maratha rulers, notably Serfoji II, continued it. The Marathas also developed the Saraswati Mahal Library and encouraged learning, music and crafts, which supported the artist families of Thanjavur.

What is gesso work in Tanjore painting?

Gesso work is the raised relief made with a paste of chalk powder and gum, which is shaped on the surface to make jewellery and architecture. It is then covered with gold foil and decorated with glass beads or stones, which gives Tanjore paintings their rich, three-dimensional glitter.

Why are Tanjore and Mysore paintings important for UPSC?

Prelims asks for materials, patrons, states, the Sritattvanidhi and their GI tags. Remember gesso and gold foil for Tanjore, muted colours for Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III for the Sritattvanidhi, and that both crafts trace back to the Vijayanagara empire.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Tanjore paintings use gesso work and gold foil.

True

On a wooden plank.

2 Mysore paintings use bright raised gesso and heavy stones.

False

They are more subtle.

3 The Sritattvanidhi was commissioned by Krishnaraja Wodeyar III.