Art and Gender in Odisha's Patachitra Painting Tradition

Odisha's Patachitra painting is recognised not only as an artistic legacy but also as a vibrant and delicate social practice that mirrors the interaction between gendered labour, ritual values, and aesthetic innovation. This article investigates the incorporation, contestation, and transformation of gender roles in the Patachitra tradition through a review of the literature, which comprises ethnographic, economic, and iconographic studies. The study of the artist villages, artists' interviews, and comparative research continues to unravel both the historic conventions of male authorship and the increasing agency and recognition of women Patachitra artists. The findings indicate a shift in the status of women's artisanship in Odisha from anonymity and secondary labour to public participation, teaching, and creative authorship, as the tradition undergoes the changes demanded by new markets and social expectations.