A legacy in gold: Mysuru artistry to shine in London

Mysuru paintings offer an artistic window into our rich cultural past. Introduced by Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in the 19th century, the tradition flourished under Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar’s patronage. During his reign, palace artist Y. Subramanyaraju began teaching the art form to students across Karnataka. One such student was J. Dundaraja, who trained at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath and is today among the most sought-after Mysuru painting artists.

J. Dundaraja
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He, along with two more artists from Karnataka — Umanagendra and Shashank Bharadwaj — will travel to London for their debut overseas show — Swarna Kala. The trio will exhibit more than 70 traditional Mysuru paintings (Mysore Chitrakala) at the Bhavan, London, from October 2 to 7.

Dundaraja, recipient of the National Award, Mysore Dasara Award and Karnataka Lalit Kala Academy award, speaks about the upcoming show in London and their efforts to preserve the art form. He also specialises in Thanjavur paintings. Explaining the speciality of Mysuru paintings, Dundaraja says, “It uses original 22 K gold foils, hence the show is titled Swarna Kala. Themes depicted are from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and mythology. The art form occupies a space between modern and realistic styles.”

Umanagendra’s depiction of Mahishasuramardhini
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Speaking about the process, he says, “First, the paper is pasted on a plywood sheet and dried. Then we do the drawing, followed by embossing, which involves placing pure gold foils on them. After this comes the colouring. Earlier, we used natural dyes, but today, most use regular paints and colours.”

The price of these art works depend on the gold rates. “It means only those who can afford can buy. As for me, I am just happy creating them. Even that is not easy as the cost of the raw material has gone up. I manage by teaching and through the few orders that come my way.”

Umanagendra
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“After my training Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, I decided to pursue it as my profession, says Dundaraja, who has taught more than 1,000 students and teachers. He has had over 10 shows across the country. “The Central Government, through DCH (Design Centres for Handicrafts) sponsors artists like me. This has been a huge help.”

Dundaraja works for eight hours a day for a week or 10 days to create a 1 1/4 ft. painting. “The art works are priced ₹15,000 and upwards depending on the size and the gold foils used. With increasing awareness about heritage and culture, Mysuru paintings have become popular among art lovers.”

Shashank Bharadwaj working on a painting of Yashoda Krishna
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Umanagendra, who was Dundaraja’s senior at Chitrakala Parishath, is also an art teacher. Says Shashank Bharadwaj, a software engineer-turned-artist, “The show is an effort towards cultural preservation. I am not just a painter but an interpreter, who wants to create a dialogue between this traditional art form and contemporary global audiences, and ensure its stories and techniques resonate with generations to come.”