Santhal Pat or Story Scroll, Framed

Rows of tiny pencil figures marching across a sheet, in a plain black frame.

This framed pat story scroll is Santhal, from Bihar / Jharkhand, Bihar, India, and dates to the 19th or mid 20th century. It is painted paper. Pat scrolls are painted narrative scrolls from eastern India, unrolled by performers who sing the story while pointing to each successive scene. A small drawing in fine gray line on white, showing lines of walking and seated figures with delicate limbs. A tall vase and a figure with a pole appear at the bottom. It is set within a cream mat and a thin black frame. It is 14.5 inches wide and 18 high.

Quiet, orderly, and busier than it first looks.