Skip to content
The Complete History of Mysore

Chapter 15 · 16th century – present

Culture and the Arts

Mysore's court sustained a distinct school of painting, a lineage of Carnatic composers, and traditions of scholarship still identified with the city.

15.1Mysore painting

The Mysore school of painting descends from Vijayanagara traditions and was reconstituted under Wadiyar patronage, particularly by Krishnaraja Wadiyar III, who also authored the Sritattvanidhi, an illustrated compendium that served as an iconographic manual for artists.[1] The style is characterised by delicate line, muted colour and gesso work covered in thin gold leaf.

15.2Music at court

Mysore developed a recognised bani (stylistic lineage) within Carnatic music. Court composers and performers include Veene Sheshanna, Mysore Vasudevacharya, and the ruler-composer Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, who composed Sanskrit kritis and sponsored recordings of Nikolai Medtner's music.[2] The Mysore veena tradition remains a distinct performance lineage.

15.3Crafts and letters

Craft traditions include sandalwood carving, rosewood inlay, Ganjifa playing cards and Mysore silk weaving with zari borders; several carry Geographical Indication protection.[3] In literature, the city's university and Kannada institutions nurtured writers of national standing, among them Kuvempu, R. K. Narayan and U. R. Ananthamurthy.[4]

References and footnotes

  1. [1]"Mysore painting", Wikipedia. Link
  2. [2]"Mysore Vasudevacharya" and "Veene Sheshanna", Wikipedia. Link
  3. [3]Geographical Indications Registry, Government of India: Mysore Silk, Mysore Sandalwood Oil, Mysore Rosewood Inlay, Mysore Traditional Paintings. Link
  4. [4]"Kannada literature", Wikipedia. Link