Portraits of Eminent Citizens of Mysore State

King of Mysore Krishnaraja Wodeyar III (a.k.a Mummadi Krishnaraj Wodeyar), during his prosperous rule of the Mysore State during the 19th century, commissioned a large project to document the portraits of some of the most eminent citizens of his kingdom. This included poets, athletes, musicians, scholars, and accomplished artists. This project led to a big demand of portrait artists and portraiture developed as an art form in Mysore.

The portraits were then mass printed using the lithography which had just arrived in India, and these portraits today from a very fine source of primary research showing us the period attires, fashions and status awarded to accomplished citizens.

All of the pictures below were re-photographed and hand-colored by K.L.Kamat, in addition to cataloging and identifying.



Painter Channakrishna
Portraits of the Mysore Jaganmohan palace
Portrait of an Artist
Artist of Old Mysore
Portrait of Painter Lakshmaiah
Portraits from the Mysore Jaganmohan palace

Portrait of Veene Venkatasubbayya
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Mangapattyya the Musician

Portrait of Veene Annayya
Mysore Portraitures
Prominent Citizens of Mysore
Musicologist Sangeetajiyaru

Hari-Katha Expert Surpur Sheshadasaru
Prominent Citizens of Mysore
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Appu Jatti the Wrestler

Ustad Venka Jatti the Boxer
Portrait of a Wrestler
Mysore Portraitures
Wrestler Tukadidar Rama Jatti

Ustad Hanuma Jatti, Boxer
In the 19th century Mysore, as it is now, the sportsmen were celebreties
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Sword Expert Laxmannayya

Portrait of Subedar Puransingh
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Army Officer General Shankaradasu

Portrait of Sarvegar Gollara Achcharya, the Surveyor
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Chunnchanagiri Jogi
Portraits if leading citizens of Mysore kingdom were commisioned by the ruler Mummadi Krishnaraj Wodeyar in the 19th century. Shown above: portrait of a scholar-philosopher

Natha Sampradayada Bhairagi
Mysore Portraitures
Chess Player Badagachari
Portrait of a Chess Champion, Mysore
Portrait of Chadurangadatada Badgachari

Laxmi Panditara Maga Suri Panditaru
"Scholar son of a scholar" -- Portrait from the Mysore Jaganmohan palace collection
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Laxana-shastrada Bangi Virumbhappa

Portrait of Daffedar Venkataramayya
Officials of Mysore State
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Mullotina Kempayya

Portrait of Kumundaney Narayan Singh
Mysore Portraitures
Mysore Portraitures
Portrait of Lalgudi Ramayyar

Veena Artist Ananthasubbayya
Detail from a lithograph
Mysore Portraitures
A Brahmin Scholar
Portrait of Laxmi Pandit

Veene Sambayya
Mysore Portraitures

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