| A R T F R O M A S I A
Folk Painting from India
Scrolls by Gurupada and Montu Chitrakar of West Bengal |
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The contemporary scrolls and paintings of Gurupada and Montu Chitrakar come from the distinct patachitra scroll tradition in the state of West Bengal. The patachitra or patua scrolls may portray stories from the great Hindu epics, such as the Ramayana, and Sufi traditions which are also sung frame by frame. The scrolls by the young painters Gurupada and Montu Chitrakar venture even further into current affairs, history and other subjects outside of the traditional canon.
Their subjects include not only the Ramayana but the Tsunami, the September 11th attacks, the Kashmir earthquake, the Gujarat earthquake and bloody Hindu/Muslim religious riots, and incongruously even the story of the French Revolution. For examples of some recent scrolls by various artists, depicting the December 2004 tsunami, go to our Art from the Tsunami gallery.
These scrolls are painted with vegetable dyes fixed with a vegetable gum on paper. The panels are sewn together and fabric from old saris is glued to the back to strengthen the scroll. Individual paintings by Montu Chitrakar may resemble single panels from these same scroll stories, or independent images of wild animals and scenes from his imagination.
For a biography of Montu Chitrakar and his wife, Joba Chitrakar, read the recent article by Indian folk Art scholar, Minhazz Majumdar.
Bengali artist Montu Chitrakar
(photo courtesy of Minhazz Majumdar).
Bengali artist Gurupada Chitrakar sings the story of September 11th, 2001,
in Santa Fe, July, 2006 (photo by Anthony Fisher).
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Bengali artist Gurupada Chitrakar with several of his story scrolls in Santa Fe, July, 2006 (photo by Anthony Fisher).
Bengali artist Rupban Chitrakar with her story scroll which tells the story of the Titanic, based loosely on the movie. Santa Fe, 2007 (photo by Anthony Fisher).
Both Montu and Gurupada Chitrakar are featured in the recent exhibit Village of Painters: Narrative Scrolls from West Bengal at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe and the accompanying catalog by Frank Korom. You may order the book from us below:
Village of Painters:
Narrative scrolls from West Bengal
Frank J. Korom, Photographs by Paul Smutko
The Patuas of West Bengal are a traditional artisan caste specializing in the production of painted narrative scrolls and the performance of songs to accompany their unrolling. Traditionally, the scroll painters wander from village to village, seeking patronage by singing their own compositions while unraveling painted scrolls on sacred and secular themes.
Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe 2006
120pages, 118 color photographs
$29.95 softcover
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1st five panels
2nd, 3rd,4th panels
4th panel
3rd panel
The Gujarat Earthquake and other Natural Disasters - Patachitra Story Scroll
Montu Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
Late 20th cent.
Water-based paint on paper
(7' 2" h. x 14" w. )
$390 SOLD 12/04 |
1st five panels
1st panel
2nd & 3rd panels
7th & 8th (last) panel - Guillotining of King Louis
The Story of the French Revolution
Patachitra Story Scroll
Montu Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
Late 20th cent.
Water-based paint on paper
(8' 11" h. x 14" w. )
$450 |
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1st five panels
1st panel
2nd & 3rd panel
4th & 5th panel
Religious Tolerance (Inspired by the Hindu/Muslim Riots in Gujarat)
Patachitra Story Scroll
Montu Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
Late 20th cent.
Water-based paint on paper
(7' 2" h. x 14" w. )
$390 |
1st six panels
1st & 2nd panels
2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th panels
last two (7th & 8th) panels
Tales from the Ramayana
Patachitra Story Scroll
Attributed to Montu Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
Late 20th cent.
Water-based paint on paper
(7' 0" h. x 14" w. )
$390 |
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1st five panels
2nd, 3rd, 4th panels - The Atomic Bomb
Story of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Patachitra Story Scroll
Gurupada Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
c. 2005
Water-based paint on paper
(84" h. x 22" w. )
$ 550 |
1st three panels
1st panel
2nd, 3rd panels
Story of the Kashmir Earthquake
Patachitra Story Scroll
Gurupada Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
c. 2005
Water-based paint on paper
(83" h. x 22" w. )
$ 550 |
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1st panels
1st panels
Detail
Tales of Krishna
Patachitra Story Scroll
Gurupada Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
c. 2005
Water-based paint on paper
(82 1/2" h. x 22" w. )
$ 550 |
1st three panels
1st panel
2nd, 3rd panels
Last four panels
History of the Patuas
Patachitra Story Scroll
Gurupada Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
c. 2005
Water-based paint on paper
(109"h. x 22" w. )
$ 650 |
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1st four panels
1st panel - Attack on the World Trade Center
2nd panel - People in mourning.
3rd panel - George Bush meeting with his cabinet
3rd and 4th panels - George Bush and Osama Bin Laden
Last panel - Osama Bin Laden at Tora Bora
The September 11th Attacks and the War in Afghanistan
Patachitra Story Scroll
Gurupada Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
c. 2005
Water-based paint on paper
(89 1/2" h. x 22" w. )
$ 600 SOLD 1/07 |
Tales of Lord Krishna and the Gopis
Patachitra Story Scroll
Attributed to Montu Chitrakar - West Bengal, India
Late 20th cent.
Water-based paint on paper with fabric backing
(28" h. x 11" w. )
$145 |
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