Many of the traditional Indian artists were also patronised by Europeans, beginning with the Portuguese who  landed on the west coast in 1498.
Gradually the other Europeans followed suit and commissioned local artists to paint in the so-called company style.
While no specific character or technique marked out the Company school of paintings, it can be understood to mean the large body of paintings painted by Indian artists in a mixed Indo-European style which would appeal to the Europeans who were employed by the various East India Companies.

The direct European impact on Tanjore paintings began with the stationing of a British garrison in Thanjavur in 1773, during the Anglo-Mysore Wars of 1767–99.
Throughout the nineteenth century, artists based in and around Thanjavur prepared, by and large a  standard sets of paintings for the Company personnel.
These sets were called albums or album paintings and were a collection of 'native' or 'Indian' subjects of interest, suited to the English sensibilities and tastes.
Common subjects were Gods and Goddesses, episodes from Hindu mythology; Fairs, ceremonies, processions and festivals; Castes, their occupations and dresses; Indian Flora and Fauna, etc.
 These paintings were executed by the same Tanjore artists in a style suited to western tastes.
The paintings were usually executed on European paper, without gesso work, little or no Gold foil and without any glass or gem inlay.
The paintings would also carry a brief description ( most times extremely quaint and so typically English) of the subject in English and sometimes in Tamil or Telugu.
Paintings on cloth backed by wooden panels were also executed for the English patrons.
Many of these were carried to England where they probably enlivened many an evening tea!
 The British Museum and The Victoria and Albert Museum have an enviable collection of such paintings.

Though the British patronised paintings tend to be grouped under the Company style of paintings, they were Tanjore paintings in spirit.
In addition to being executed by the same traditional group of artists in Thanjavur and the neighbouring Tamil country, the style and characterisation in these paintings are very typically Thanjavur as against the style of say, Company paintings executed in Calcutta or Lucknow.
Many of the traditional Indian artists were also patronised by Europeans, beginning with the Portuguese who  landed on the west coast in 1498. Gradually the other Europeans followed suit and commissioned local artists to paint in the so-called company style. While no specific character or technique marked out the Company school of paintings, it can be understood to mean the large body of paintings painted by Indian artists in a mixed Indo-European style which would appeal to the Europeans who were employed by the various East India Companies.
The direct European impact on Tanjore paintings began with the stationing of a British garrison in Thanjavur in 1773, during the Anglo-Mysore Wars of 1767–99. Throughout the nineteenth century, artists based in and around Thanjavur prepared, by and large a  standard sets of paintings for the Company personnel. These sets were called albums or album paintings and were a collection of 'native' or 'Indian' subjects of interest, suited to the English sensibilities and tastes. Common subjects were Gods and Goddesses, episodes from Hindu mythology; Fairs, ceremonies, processions and festivals; Castes, their occupations and dresses; Indian Flora and Fauna, etc.  These paintings were executed by the same Tanjore artists in a style suited to western tastes. The paintings were usually executed on European paper, without gesso work, little or no Gold foil and without any glass or gem inlay. The paintings would also carry a brief description ( most times extremely quaint and so typically English) of the subject in English and sometimes in Tamil or Telugu. Paintings on cloth backed by wooden panels were also executed for the English patrons. Many of these were carried to England where they probably enlivened many an evening tea!  The British Museum and The Victoria and Albert Museum have an enviable collection of such paintings.
Though the British patronised paintings tend to be grouped under the Company style of paintings, they were Tanjore paintings in spirit. In addition to being executed by the same traditional group of artists in Thanjavur and the neighbouring Tamil country, the style and characterisation in these paintings are very typically Thanjavur as against the style of say, Company paintings executed in Calcutta or Lucknow.
Thanjavur painting