Under the second phase of Skill Development workshop programme of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya on Thursday, traditional artist of Mysore painting, Chandrika detailed about Mysore style of paintings.

She said the most popular themes are Goddess Rajarajeshwari and Sri Rama Pattabhishekam, Kodandarama, Dashavathara, Chamundeshwari apart from Lakshmi and Saraswathi, the coronation of Sri Rama  (Rama pattabhisheka), wedding of Shiva and Parvati (Girijakalyana), Sri Rama with bow and arrows (Kodanda-Rama), Sri Krishna with his foster mother (Yashoda-Krishna) and the goddess Chamundeshwari, the family deity of the Mysore royal house.

Occasionally, portraits of the king and his family were painted. 19th century Mysore artists created paintings of Hindu Myths, Gods and epic heroes as well as scenes of court life and battle. Though the subjects were religious and mythological, the models were from real life. She further told that the figures have features like fish shaped eye, round protruded chin, typical Mysore royal hairdo and draping style in sarees, depiction of royal jewellery, rounded face, Mysore turban. They depict sugarcane as bow and arrow in the pictures of Raja - Rajeshwari.

The foot of goddesses is placed on flower in order to show the respect. And the architectural backgrounds of many paintings are faithful copies of the architectural features of the Mysore palace.

On this occasion, Dipti, Co- artist told that In the traditional Mysore paintings, all the inputs were made by the artists like brushes, paints, board, gold foil, etc.

The sketches were made with the help of charcoal, which was prepared by burning tamarind twigs in an iron tube. The brushes were made of different materials, like squirrel hair, camel hair, goat hair, etc.

Even today the artists prefer squirrel haired brush instead of synthetic brushes because they are more durable and refined.