Recently I had a call...from one of my favorite students who had learnt to make a Gajalakshmi Thanjavur painting from me. It had been more than 3,4 years, since she completed it. She went abroad and after reaching and installing it in her puja corner, she had sent a photo. The call was about some damage to the painting and required renewal. She mentioned that she had to remove the frame since it had been affected by termites, and had kept the painting exposed inside a closed cupboard along with the other pictures in their puja room, when she had returned to India for medical reasons. She had recovered from a very bad time of serious health problems and now in a position to think about the painting.
When she sent the photo of the painting, my heart bled, since the paint had worn out in many places and the painting looked pathetic.She wanted to know whether it can be revived and I had to say 'yes'...since a painting done under my supervision is like my child, and my God, the child sure needed attention and rehab..😟. Moreover she was very good with painting and had done a very neat work, though much to my chagrin it was done in a somewhat rushed manner within a month since she was to leave India.
When she sent the photo of the painting, my heart bled, since the paint had worn out in many places and the painting looked pathetic.She wanted to know whether it can be revived and I had to say 'yes'...since a painting done under my supervision is like my child, and my God, the child sure needed attention and rehab..😟. Moreover she was very good with painting and had done a very neat work, though much to my chagrin it was done in a somewhat rushed manner within a month since she was to leave India.
Thanjavur painting without frame is the most vulnerable to the onslaught of weather conditions,insects , moisture and what not...!!You can see the paint chipped completely from the bottom portion, the lovely french ultramine blue which enhances a thanjavur painting like no other color.White on the elephants, garland as also on the floral backdrop along with the design and color from the bolster behind the character had almost vanished..
I was very happy to see that the gold foil had not changed color or shine. So I started to clean the dust over the painting with a broad soft brush gently...Then I decided to clean out the faded portions with a wet cotton ball twice to clear any residue of the previous coat. I wish I had taken photo in stages, may be the next time....! Once cleaning of faded colors was over allowed a couple of days for the board to dry keeping it open on my work table.
Started with the background colors for the bolster as well as the floral backrest, which I always finish with 2 to 3 coats. While it was drying I redid the mukkwork of the base of the kalash at the bottom left of the picture. Touched up wherever the paint had chipped away...and on went the repainting and renewal of the Goddess of wealth Lakshmi worshipped by the two gajarajas .till I was comfortable with the finish.
I had asked for 10days time including the dyring time in between, which is very important in the making of any Thanjavur painting...and which I never compromise with. Whent the painting was finished, I packed it inside a rudraksha frame which I had arranged to get from my supplier. Lakshmi brought me wealth in the form of a decent fee too, on which condition only I agreed to the commission.
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