This book is a general account of the painting of the period when Tanjavur was under Maratha rule. It was a time of turmoil and change, notable for the strands of many different cultures which met and stimulated art in this small territory. Numerous forms arose, some traditional, others showing the assimilation of contemporary ideas. It was an exotic heterogeneous flowering reflecting the demands of different kinds of patrons and the versatility, skill and open-mindedness of the artists.

The painting of this period is dealt with showing its connections to South Indian Art in general and also its responses to the impact of Western ideas. It is a tribute to the people of the South and their traditions that even in a period of comparative instability, wars, famine and confusion there was still a need and a desire for objects of art. The era is characteristically eclectic but its painting mirrors the faith, the values and the requirements of the people.

So far the visual arts of this period have not received much attention. It is hoped that this study will lead one to see that art was an important facet of southern culture as a whole