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Kandy Period

During King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe’s rule, there was a revival of previously corrupted Buddhist culture Many temples were renovated It was a time of political crisis in Sri Lanka with the kingdom under constant attacks from foreign invaders The king lived in several palaces for protection The country also experienced a considerable amount of Indian influence on culture. It was due to the royal family being related to the Nayakkar clan from India. Only the elite had the privilege of a luxury lifestyle. Andare is often portrayed in luxurious clothing. These were proof of his high status in the society.

Kandy Period Art Elements

• Bold colours

• Side views of subjects

• Continuous narration

• Liyawel and Palapethi

• Trees

• Floral patterns

About Andare

Andare lived during the Kandy period in the 18th century. He was born in Udamalala in 1742. died in 1782. He was well known for this clever and witty character. He served the royal court during the reign of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe and King Rajadhi Rajasinghe as a court jester. He’s a legendary character in Sri Lankan history and there is folklore that reflects his character and life story. He was a person of many talents and was also given the honorary name ‘ Sadda Vidda Palanga Pathira’ by the king.

ANDARE’S CHARACTERISTICS

The pleated fabric placed in the shape of a mountain

The pleats represent the Indian influence on Sri Lankan culture and society They are placed in a shape of a mountain It symbolizes the royal family of Indian influence that overlooks the kingdom. The rough edges of the fabric folds represent the political crisis during Andare’s time

Andare’s side profile

The side profile of Andare’s face is placed in the middle of the wall plaque. Centre placement is to symbolize him shining among all commoners The facial features also portray different characteristics The wide laughing mouth represents his job as a jester, which is basically to make people laugh. The eyes that look away and crooked eyebrows represent his calculating, cunning nature He’s wearing a jatawa and jewellery This shows his status and how he was favoured by the royal family.

The circle with golden beads on it

This represents the king. Gold for the royalty. Beads add texture. The rough texture of the beads represents the king’s personality. The circle is an abstract representation of the sun The sun symbolizes the king It is placed at the summit of the mountain to show his important status Andare, no matter how arrogant and witty he was, respected the king That is the reason for placing Andare below the king.

The red background placed in the middle of the plaque

The red background is cut into the shape of the land of the Kandyan kingdom. Here I’ve used red because red is a prominent color in Kandy period art. Andare is placed inside the red background because he is a character that came to fame solely due to his role as the court jester. If not for the kingdom he would not have been recorded in history Therefore, Kandy period was a critical element of his recognition

The background made of raw cloth

Here raw cloth is used to symbolize the less privileged common folks. Andare was a star that shone brightly among the commoners He is of humble origins I’ve used raw clothed background to represent this trait of Andare. Despite being a commoner, Andare was still favoured by the king and of important status That is Why I have highlighted andare in the middle of the plaque.