Scroll painting is the most ancient form of painting still continuing in India and the neighbouringcountries. The painted scroll served multifarious functions in society, viz., as picture-books for religious and epic stories, as a source of entertainment and also as mass media. In transmitting stories and morals so derived the intenerant painter-showmen or Saubhika in ages of lesser literacy contributed considerably to society. They are persisting in a precarious condition fighting to preserve art traditions and techniques in a growing industrialized Asia. Known as Acharyas, Sittaras, Dalangs and also as Lamas. These savants of threatened form of art have preserved for us one of the most ancient form of painting that originated in India. The countries around India in an ever-enlarging concentric circle have been conveniently grouped by the author for a more scientific study of their inter-related styles and common themes. Scrolls from eminent Indian and foreign museums and collections have been profusely illustrated by the author. Colour reproductions of such specimens have purposefully been avoided to keep the price of the book less prohibitive. The book by Dr. Sharma will fill a long felt need for a comprehensive work on scroll painting of Asian countries traditionally linked with India.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Shiv Kumar Sharma
Dr. Shiv Kumar Sharma, has done M.A. in History of Art and Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He secured First Class First Position and was awarded the University Gold Medal. He also passed Post-Graduate Diploma in art & Architecture from the same University and Post-Graduate Diploma in Archaeology & Museums from Varanasys Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi securing First Class First in both the Courses. He availed Greek Government Scholarship for another Ph.D. and studied at Athens University Greece in the department of Archaeology and History of Art. During his studies in Greece, he also obtained one year’s diploma in Modern Greek language from the Athens University. On his return from Greece, he was selected as Pool Officer by the U.P.S.C., sponsored by the C.S.I.R. He served Crafts Museum (Govt. of India), New Delhi as Assistant Director and National Museum, New Delhi as Pool Officer. Thereafter, he joined Allahabad Museum, another National Museum of the country, as Education Officer in 1988. Dr. Sharma has honour of several awards like B.H.U. Scholarship, Sr. Fellowship of the I.C.H.R., Research Associateship of the U.G.C., etc. In 1992, ‘Small Study and Research Grant’ was awarded by the ‘Nehru Trust for the Indian Collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum. He has organized a large number of art exhibitions of national and international repute in India and abroad. Besides exhibitions at Allahabad Museum, he has organized a number of educational activities, short-term courses on Indian and European art, lectures, seminars and symposiums. Among noteworthy contributions, Dr. Sharma catalogued the huge collection of miniature paintings preserved at Ram Nagar Fort, Varanasi in the collection of Maharaja Banaras under the supervision of Prof. R. Das Gupta. He was also assigned to catalogue a private Indian art collection while studying in Greece. In 1992, Dr. Sharma was called upon by the Hon. High Court Allahabad to organize a prestigious exhibition on the occation of its Post-Centenary Silver Jublee Celebrations. There he displayed photographs, rare documents and precious objects. In the words of the Hon’ble Justice Mr. S.K. Dhawan, the convener of the exhibition committee, ’Dr. Sharma has shown tremendous organizing capacity’ which made him an outstanding display expert. The author has published considerable number of research articles in different research journals of India as well as abroad.
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