India, Dec. 25 -- Painting a lost city

What: An ongoing exhibition at the Patna Museum titled Patna Qalaam: Ek Virasat revives a forgotten tradition from eastern India. Held in the museum's newly developed wing near the historic Patna-Gaya Road complex, the show features Patna Qalaam, a 19th-century painting style that emerged under the East India Company's aegis and declined with the arrival of photography. The show displays about 130 rare artworks, including paintings on mica and ivory, as well as a significant 45-folio album dated between 1850 and 1856.

These works document everyday life in Patna, from depictions of traders, artisans and domestic scenes to religious rituals, festivals and processions. Artists such as Hulas Lal, Shiva...