Kerala Fine Arts
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Kerala, God’s own Country is rich in fine arts, the tradition of which belongs to an early period. The murals of Kerala temples are fines specimen of mural art which have its origin in an early period. Here we discuss on painting, murals, sculpture and handicrafts of Kerala.
Painting :
The tradition of art of painting in Kerala dates back to the immediate Post-Aganta Period. The murals of Tirunandikkara (Kanya Kumari Dist), which is said to be of Pandiyan origin, are examples of this art in Kerala. Some precious pieces of paintings are found in the Churches of Kerala. The pictorial art known as Kalamezuthu has its origin in the performance of religious rites. Raja Ravi Varma is the most outstanding name in the art of paintings of Kerala.
Paintings art of Kerala is thousand years old. In the erstwhile Travancore, the earliest of murals are found in a small cave shrine. The emblem of artistic excellence is the murals of the temples at Haripad, Aranmula, Vaikom and Udayapuram. The height of pictorial art is seen on the walls of the shrine at Padmanabhaswami temple, Thiruvananthapurm, which is major religious and pilgrim attraction in Kerala.
Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906) :
When we talks of Kerala painting, the name of Raja Ravi Varma comes into our mind. He was a legendary painter of Kerala. The main motif of Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings is Hindu epic stories and characters. After winning in 1873 Vienna Exhibition, he became popular in the world.
Raja Ravi Varma popularized the painting in oil colour. Mostly scenes and figures of mythology are seen in his paintings. The paintings of Varma are preserved and exhibited at the museums and galleries like Shree Chitra Art Gallery in Trivandrum, Baroda and Mysore Museums. The renowned talented painters of Kerala are Madhava Menon, K.C.S Panikar and M.V Devan.
Murals :
The mural sites of Kerala got a second place in India in the field of mural arts. The main features of these mural paintings are liner accuracy, color symbolism, elaborate ornamentations and sensitive portrayal of emotions.
The tradition of wall painting in Kerala begins with the pre-historic rock paintings found in the Anjanad valley of Idukki district. Archaeologists assume that these paintings belong to an early period from upper Paleolithic period to early historic period. The rock engravings of Edakkal cave and Perimkadavila date back to the Mesolithic period. In the rock cut cave temple of Thiruvandikkara located in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, the oldest murals of Kerala were discovered. The subjects of the murals are of religious text—the gods and goddesses of Hindu pantheon. The backdrop of the murals is pictures of nature.
The renowned temple frescoes of Kerala are murals of Kanthaloor Temple in Thiruvananthapuram (13th Century), Pisharikavu and Kaliliampath in Kozhikode district (14th Century). The prolific period of mural art are reflected in the Ramayana murals of Mattancherry palace, the paintings in the Chemmanthitta Siva Temple, Kudamaloor and Thodeekkalam in Kannur district.
Sculpture :
In Kerala, the early sculptures are creative artist and their creation strives for new excellence. The earliest example of stone sculpture in Kerala is three figures which are found in the cave temple at Kaviyoor, the rock-cut relief's of Vizhinjam, (belong to the eighth century A.D). Two 'vyali' panels with sculptures are seen at the ancient Vishnu temple at Thrikkodithanam in Changanassery. The sculptures belong to the 11th century, which depict two distinct types of ancient dances. The best examples of stone sculpture in Kerala are the exquisite image of Vishnu at Guruvayoor temple and at The Sree Padmanabha Swami temple in Trivandrum.
Handicrafts :
Kerala handicrafts are known worldwide for their exquisite variety and pristine quality. Whether it is a miniature of Palm leaf, a mythological figure, an intricate inlay work or an exquisite sculpture, Kerala handicrafts are the finest specimen of creative art works. Kerala handicrafts are unique in style, perfect in form and elegant in design. The skilled craftsmen of Kerala creating a wide variety of works made their contribution to the Kerala art and culture. The artisans of Aranmula practice the bell metal casting as a family tradition. Some of the worth mentioning handicrafts of Kerala are Koftgari works, Wood Carving, Marquetry in wood, Ivory and Buffalo horn Carving, Screw Pine mat Making, Bamboo Reed Weaving, Palmyra Leaf Weaving, Embroidery and Lace Making, Lapidary work, Granite carving, Coconut shell carving, Lacquer work, Kora Grass Mat Making, Rattan or Cane work, Cotton map making, Toys and Dolls, Jewellery, coir Products, musical instruments manufacturing, etc.
