Image title: Plate 35: Nataraja

[Full title: Nataraja, Kerala School, Ettumanur/Ettumanoor, 16th century]

There are other paintings from the temples at Tiruvanchikulam (Thiruvanchikulam), Triprayar, Ettumanur (Ettumanoor) and others of special interest illustrating the most important features of this phase of art.
The large painting of Naṭarāja of Ettumanur which is a difficult but well achieved composition and Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu, another large panel of the special form of recumbant Viṣṇu with only two arms in this area, as at Mahabalipuram in the seventh century Pallava sculptural representation, but with his right hand extended to adore a śivaliṅga, is all specially noteworthy in this school of painting.

Gallery information:

This plate is contained in the book “Vijayanagara Paintings”, a valuable aid to the understanding of Indian iconography (also known as śilpaśāstra). The Vijayanagara empire was established in 1335 by Harihara, Harihara, Kaṃpa and Bukka (sons of Saṅgama) and grew to be a dominant power in the South. Painting has been considered in the Citrasūtra of the Viṣṇudharmottara, the early standard text on painting, as the premier art.