The University Art Museum has received a monumental gift of more than 80 traditional Indian patachitra scrolls, significantly expanding its collection of South Asian art and material culture.
The scrolls were donated by Geraldine Forbes, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita at the State University of New York at Oswego, whose career as a historian of India and teaching professor has shaped generations of scholarship on gender, visual culture and oral traditions in South Asia.
A single panel from Satya Narayan Pir, Jharna Chitrakar, circa 2004. It is one of the more than 80 works gifted to the Syracuse University Art Museum by Geraldine Forbes.
Patachitra, meaning “cloth picture” in Sanskrit, are hand-painted scrolls crafted by patuas (“scroll painters”) in the West Bengal region of eastern India. These vibrant scrolls are historically performed alongside narrative song which transforms them into a unique experience that straddles the line between visual art, oral history and performance.
Forbes began purchasing these scrolls because of her love for folk art and slowly amassed her collection over many trips to Calcutta. Now, she is concerned that such a dynamic art form is at risk of disappearing. As patuas have adapted to the rapidly changing media landscape of India, those performances are becoming less common. Many patuas have even eschewed traditional scroll painting in favor of selling painted souvenirs such as kettles, spoons and umbrellas at local flea markets
Geraldine Forbes, center, with Hazra and Madhu Chitrakar in India (Photo courtesy of Geraldine Forbes)
“Although India has a thriving art market, this folk art has not ‘caught’ on with galleries and buyers,” Forbes notes. “Unless things change, it is doubtful that [patachitra scrolls] will be continued to be painted.”
The scrolls in Forbes’ gift were created during the 1960s to the present day. Traditionally, patachitra scrolls depict mythological or folkloric scenes, while many in this collection address contemporary issues such as climate change, plastic pollution, the HIV/AIDS epidemic and even global political events like the 9/11 attacks. Their themes demonstrate the versatility and relevance of patachitra as an art form to capture both enduring myths and the challenges of our modern world.
Forbes feels that her collection of scrolls will endure the test of time and fit in with the museum’s already impressive collection of South Asian art and material culture, including Mithila paintings previously donated to the Museum by Susan Wadley, professor emerita in the anthropology department and Ford-Maxwell Professor of South Asian Studies.
“The fact that [the SU Art Museum] has the Ruth Reeves collection of folk art objects, as well as [Professor Emerita] Susan Wadley’s collection, [Associate Professor of Art History] Romita Ray’s interest and Melissa Yuen’s role at [the museum] made it an ideal location for my collection of Bengali scrolls,” Forbes says.
“We are honored to receive this gift from Geraldine,” says Emily Dittman, director of the Syracuse University Art Museum. “These hand painted, intricate scrolls represent a centuries-old storytelling tradition that is now at risk of disappearing. By preserving them, we not only safeguard a vital art form but also create meaningful opportunities for cross-cultural learning, research and engagement across campus and beyond”
With this generous gift, the Syracuse University Art Museum deepens its commitment to preserving and showcasing global visual cultures. Currently, the scrolls are being processed and catalogued by museum staff to be made available for scholars at a future date. The patachitra scrolls will support not only exhibitions, but also interdisciplinary research and curricular collaborations, offering students, faculty and the public access to a unique storytelling tradition.
