Tanjore Paintings

(made using 22K Gold Leaf)

Tracing its roots to the historical era of the early 18th century, Tanjore art work is one of the many indigenous art forms for which India is noted.

 

This art form was until recently considered to be a lost and forgotten art, however organizations like our own are now reviving this form of art and are obtaining new Tanjore paintings directly from those families whose ancestors were traditionally masters of this sacred art form. This has enabled us to maintain the integrity of this art as the artists still follow the same traditional process used by their ancestors.

 

All of these paintings depict Indian gods and goddesses and can be customized as required.  As a result, today, these paintings are highly prestigious and valued, and often seen within Prayer rooms, living rooms, and lobbies of major hotels and corporate offices.

 

Tanjore paintings make ideal corporate gifts especially around Diwali, weddings and other festive occasions. 
We are constantly innovating and have also used these paintings as box and diary covers.

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Pichhwais

The word Pichhwai derives from the Sanskrit words pichh meaning back and wais meaning hanging. 

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Pichhwai paintings are works of art that are used to adorn the walls of temples, behind the idol. The Pichhwai style is from the Nathdwara School, and is identified by characteristic features of large eyes, broad nose and a heavy body, similar to the features on the idol of Shrinathji.

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Krishna is shown in different moods, body postures, and attire more commonly found on a cloth or paper. It is a very ancient form of art passed on from generation to generation and it has a very devotional theme towards Lord Krishna.

 

Different paintings are made for different occasions, different seasons,festivals, and so on. While the painting has pink lotuses in the summer, the painting for Sharad Purnima is a night scene with the bright full moon. Themes such as Raas Leela, Holi, Annakut (Govardhan Puja) are also seen in their relevant occasions.

The purpose of Pichhwais, other than its artistic appeal, is to narrate tales of Krishna to the illiterate. 

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One can still find many paintings done with natural colours only. The use of pure gold in the paintings adds to their value and charm. For one painting, it may take 3-4 days to just prepare colour from pure gold.

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Phad

Phad Paintings are a folk painting style from Rajasthan, India. These paintings were and still are a part of an elaborate ritualistic song and dance performance by folk balladeers that travel from village to village performing folk epics. The paintings provide the backdrop against which the songs, dances and narrations are used to create an evening of magic and entertainment usually in the center of the village.
 
Each painting depicts a different episode and they are opened or unrolled only after sundown, in conjunction with an all night performance. This is possibly why these paintings are called Phad which means folds in local dialect.

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Phad artists need to be extremely skilled, adhering to techniques taught by ancestors. Depending on the complexity, it can take between a few weeks to a few months to complete an artwork.

Phad paintings are created on hand-woven coarse cotton cloth, which is soaked overnight to thicken the threads. It is then stiffened with starch from rice or wheat flour, stretched, dried in the sun and rubbed with a moonstone to smoothen the surface and give it a sheen. The entire process of making a Phad painting is completely natural, with the use of natural fibres, and natural paints sourced from stones, flowers, plants and herbs. The paints are handmade by the artists, and mixed with gum and water before applying to cloth.

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Kerela Murals

Murals of Kerala stand out for their emphasis on beauty, clarity and symmetry. They depict religious and mystic themes.

 

Herbal vegetable dyes, fruit juices, minerals and chemicals extracted from the earth, stones, root, and such natural materials are used for making the paint Brushes for painting on the wall are made of the blades of certain types of grass and the roots of some trees. Sharpened bamboo pieces are used to draw the outlines of the murals.

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The art is done using natural colours obtained from plants and minerals. The art primarily uses only five colours, therefore called Panchavarna Chumarchithram. Originally a wall was prepared by coating it with a mixture of limestone and tender coconut water a number of times before the actual painting can begin.

 

Today, there are various experiments with new media and the murals are being done on canvas, bamboo, MDF boards, terracotta, fabric and so on. Natural Colours can be replaced by Acrylic colours as well. This technique is now extended on to more contemporary products relevant for the Urban Consumer.

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Gond

Gond art is a form of painting from folk and tribal art that is practiced by one of the largest tribes in India – the Gond – who are predominantly from Madhya Pradesh, but also can be found in pockets of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhatisgarh, and Odisha.

 

The work of Gond artists is rooted in their folk tales and culture, and thus story-telling is a strong element of every painting.

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They paint their walls with vibrant depiction of local flora and fauna.

 

Gond paintings depict various celebrations and rituals and man relationship with nature . the mystical art form is created by putting the dots and lines together. The magnetic use of these lines imparts a sense of movement to the still images.

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Gond paintings are known for their rich detail, bright colours, embedded mystery and a taste of humour. However, these tribal artworks are anything but outdated. Not only do contemporary Gond artists use modern materials and methods but they also brilliantly represent contemporary scenes and concerns while keeping true to age-old traditions and style. 

 

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