Ritual Eye-Bestowing Painting (Chakshudana Pata)

Currently not on view

Ritual Eye-Bestowing Painting (Chakshudana Pata)

c. 1925-1950

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

The Santal tribes, spread across the states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, are served by a group of itinerant artists known as jadupatuas (magician-painters). Although not Santal themselves, jadupatuas paint story-scrolls depicting particular myths and stories important to Santal culture. Additionally, when a death occurs in a Santal community, a jadupatua visits the mourner with a stack of paintings of women, men, and children, each of whom lack a pupil in their eye. For a fee, the jadupatua will select an image appropriate for the deceased and will ritually paint in the pupil, thus delivering the dead person's soul from wandering blindly in the afterworld.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Ritual Eye-Bestowing Painting (Chakshudana Pata)

Date:

c. 1925-1950

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

Medium:

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 9 7/16 × 7 15/16 inches (24 × 20.2 cm) Sheet: 10 3/4 × 9 inches (27.3 × 22.9 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Gift of Stella Kramrisch, 1968

Accession Number:

1968-184-19

Geography:

Made in West Bengal, Bengal Region, India, Asia

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.

Currently not on view