Patna: More than 100 rare Mithila paintings that spent decades in the United States have returned to Bihar, taking centre stage at the Bihar Museum’s foundation day celebrations on Friday.
Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary inaugurated three exhibitions—Kagaz Ki Kashti (Paper Boat), The Timeless Art of Mithila, and India’s Timeless Artists—while also launching two books published by the museum: Remembering Himmat Shah and Bihar Museum Biennale 2025: Global South – Sharing Histories.
He also virtually inaugurated The Timeless Art of Mithila exhibition at the Patna Museum, where eight Padma Shri award-winning artists attended the event.
Rare Mithila Collection Returns Home
The exhibition’s highlight is a collection of 111 Mithila paintings that have returned to Bihar after being housed in the United States for decades.
According to the Bihar Museum, the paintings were created by some of Mithila’s most celebrated artists during the 1970s and 1980s.
Museum officials said the artworks were originally taken to the United States during the 1970s, where they were exhibited to promote the traditional art form internationally.
The collection remained with the Ethnic Art Foundation, an organisation established in the United States to support Mithila artists by purchasing their works, organising overseas exhibitions and returning sale proceeds to the artists.
Following the closure of the foundation in 2024, its remaining collection of around 400 Mithila paintings was donated by David Szanton to museums around the world. The Bihar Museum received 111 of these paintings, which are now being displayed for the first time in the state.
The Timeless Art of Mithila exhibition will remain open at the Bihar Museum from August 7 to September 20.
Art Born From Adversity
Museum officials noted that the commercial journey of Mithila painting began during the severe 1964–65 famine in the Mithila region.
They credited Bhaskar Kulkarni, Upendra Maharathi and Pupul Jayakar with helping transform the traditional folk art into a recognised cultural and commercial practice, creating new livelihood opportunities for local artists.
Bihar Museum To Expand
During the celebrations, Anjani Kumar Singh, Director General of the Bihar Museum, announced that the Bihar government has allotted one acre of land for the museum’s expansion.
Ashok Kumar Sinha, Additional Director of the Bihar Museum, said artworks by leading contemporary Indian artists would be exhibited at the museum from August 7 to October 6.
Three Exhibitions Mark Foundation Day
Alongside the Mithila exhibition, the museum also opened Kagaz Ki Kashti, featuring selected sculptures and artworks by contemporary artists, who will interact with visitors and explain their creative process and techniques.
The third exhibition, India’s Timeless Artists, showcases works by prominent artists from across the country as part of the museum’s foundation day celebrations.
Officials said the exhibitions aim to deepen public engagement with India’s artistic heritage while reaffirming Bihar’s place in the country’s cultural landscape.
