Javagal Narasimhayya
Artist Javagal Narasimhayya hailed from the village of Javagal, near Halebidu, a center of beautiful sculptures of Hoysala period. He learnt painting in the Mysore style with focus on painting Lord Shiva and Shakti. We see that the subject of most of his paintings are derived from Shiva Purana and Devi Mahatme, both Kannada classics.
The painting "Sri Kamakameswari" is perhaps his masterpiece done circa 1865. Now at Chitrakala Parishath in Bangalore, it features Mother Goddess and Shiva is given equal importance in terms of body proportions. She is shown seated on the lap of Shiva. Experts S.R. Rao and B.V.K. Sastry call it an "unusual depiction" and feel that it shows his creativity as an artist.
Reference:
- S.R. Rao and B.V.K. Sastry, Traditional Paintings of Karnataka, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, 1980
