M
ysore Paintings can instantly transform any ordinary surrounding into a luxurious, royal décor by its mere presence. Such is the grandeur of a well executed Mysore artwork.
Many people confuse Mysore paintings with Tanjore paintings because they both look the same. The main difference between them is that Tanjore paintings have gemstones used in them, but in Mysore paintings, the artist doesn’t use gems. The Mysore paintings were established in the Vijayanagar Empire.
The rulers of the Mysore region supported these paintings, and this support persisted during the British era as well. The representation of the Hindu god-goddess is the primary subject of the Mysore paintings. These paintings stand out because each one features two or more figures, but only one of them dominates the composition in terms of scale and color.
The majority of Mysore’s paintings have religious subject depictions. Mysore paintings have the ability to instantly transform any unadorned space into one that is decorated lavishly and regally. Such is the beauty of a well-executed Mysore artwork.
The technique of making Mysore paintings is very different from the northern Indian styles. They use the Gesso Technique, Gesso is a mixture of zinc oxide and Arabic gum. The artists of Mysore produced stunning details in small-format works of art by using fine brushes made from blades of grass or squirrel hair. They use natural colors like vegetable and mineral colors instead of watercolors or synthetic dyes.
In place of the current single cartilage paper foundation, the base was constructed from paper, wood, walls, and cloth. When the artist drew the initial basic sketch for a Mysore painting, the process began. Following the completion of the gesso work, the paste is applied to the areas of the painting that need further detail and allowed to sun dry.
The gold foil work is finished once the sketch has properly dried. Natural colors are used to complete the remainder of the artwork. The painting is covered with a thin sheet of paper and scraped with a smooth stone once it has thoroughly dried. From the facial expressions to the elaborate jewelry, the patterns on the clothes to the background details, everything they painted is so realistic.
