News

Leitung Forschung zur indischen Kunst mit Schwerpunkt Malerei, 100%
Die GBF Foundation for Cooperative Research on South Asian Art and Artists sucht per 1. Juni 2026 oder nach Vereinbarung eine engagierte und fachlich versierte Persönlichkeit für die Leitung von Forschungsprojekten zur Kunst Südasiens mit Schwerpunkt indischer Malerei.

Aufgaben

• Sie fördern die wissenschaftliche Erforschung und Bearbeitung der Südasien-Sammlungen am Museum Rietberg mit Schwerpunkt indische Malerei
• Sie sind verantwortlich für die strategische Planung und operative Umsetzung von Forschungsprojekten der GBF Stiftung
• Sie unterstützen die Stiftung beim Ausbau und bei der Betreuung des internationalen Netzwerkes von Sammler:innen, Kunsthändler:innen und weiteren Interessent:innen auf dem Gebiet der Kunst Südasiens mit Schwerpunkt indischer Malerei
• Sie planen und organisieren für die GBF Stiftung Forschungsresidenzen (von der Ausschreibung bis zum Abschluss der Residenz)
• Sie kuratieren regelmässig kleine Ausstellungen oder Sammlungsinterventionen im Museum und arbeiten an grossen Sonderausstellungen des Museums
• Sie unterstützen die GBF-Stiftung bei der Herausgabe und Produktion der Zeitschrift Artibus Asiae
• Sie unterstützen die Stiftungsleitung in administrativen Arbeiten (Budget, Durchführung von Sitzungen, Erstellen von Protokollen und Jahresberichten)

Profil

• Dissertation im Bereich indischer Kunstgeschichte und Praxiskenntnisse im Bereich indischer Malerei (Techniken und Materialien, Pigmente, Analysen von Papier etc.)
• Praktische Erfahrung im Bereich Restaurierung, Object Handling, Minimum fünf Jahre Berufserfahrung in Museumsarbeit z.B. Kuratieren von Sonderausstellungen
• Mehrjährige Erfahrung im Bereich Lehre (an Universitäten Forschungsinstituten, Hochschulen etc.)
• Mehrjährige Erfahrung im Event-Management wie z.B. bei der Durchführung von Tagungen, Workshops

• Vernetztes und interkulturelles Denken und Handeln sowie hohe Belastbarkeit und Teamfähigkeit, ausgeprägtes Dienstleistungsverständnis

• Stilsicher in folgenden Sprachen: Deutsch und Englisch. Plus Kenntnisse in nordindischen Sprachen wie Rajasthani, Braj, Urdu, Hindi, sowie Grundkenntnisse in Sanskrit und Persisch

• IT-Affinität, Erfahrung im Umgang mit herkömmlichen Tools (Outlook, Excel, Word) sowie im Projektmanagement (MS Project, Planer, Teams etc.)

Wir bieten
Es erwartet Sie eine interessante und verantwortungsvolle Tätigkeit mit Gestaltungsspielraum in einem lebendigen, kulturell geprägten Umfeld. Sie arbeiten an einem zentralen Arbeitsplatz in einer kulturhistorisch bedeutenden Umgebung.

Über uns
Weitere Informationen zur Stiftung finden Sie auf unserer Webseite https://gbf-foundation.ch/info.

Wir freuen uns auf Ihre vollständige Bewerbung bis 22. Februar 2026 per E-Mail. Bei Fragen zur Stelle wenden Sie sich bitte an Dr. Johannes Beltz, Direktor der GBF Stiftung, E-Mail: info_at_gbf-foundation.ch

Report by Sonika Soni

What is Musavvari?
The term Musavvari carries profound spiritual connotations; however, its associations with roles such as painter, form-giver, fashioner, limner, and draftsman contributed to its prominence within Islamic royal courts. Over time, it evolved into a widely recognized vocational title, often used alongside Chitera in South-Asia. The practice of painting itself, with its nuanced and often painstakingly lengthy processes, is encompassed within the term Musavvari.

As part of a GBF Foundation initiative, the Museum Rietberg hosted a ten-day intensive workshop led by two painters: Murad Khan Mumtaz, a Lahore-born, US-based artist and Associate Professor at Williams College, and Manish Soni, a contemporary miniaturist from Rajasthan, India. Representing different strands of a fragmented tradition, the two artists came together to lead this multifaceted workshop. Its focus was to introduce participants to the materials and techniques of this painting tradition, with particular attention to the Museum Rietberg’s painting collection.

The workshop was assisted by Sonika Soni (Research and Coordination – GBF Foundation), and Vera Fischer (Art Education – Museum Rietberg).

Who Attended the Workshop:
A carefully selected group of twelve participants represented diverse disciplines related to the South Asian painting tradition, including two young artists who were introduced to this art form for the first time. The participants ranged from senior paper conservators to emerging paper conservators, material conservators, art historians, art educators, architects, curators, and aspiring artists. The unifying element among these varied disciplines was their shared appreciation for South Asian painting.

Key Achievements:
The workshop was structured to encompass diverse facets of traditional painting, integrating art-historical and critical appreciation with engaging sessions focused on technical and material practices.

a. The workshop successfully brought together participants from diverse disciplines, all connected to a shared tradition, to collaborate in a common workspace over ten days. This set-up encouraged meaningful discussions on various forms, formats, and tools of the trade.

b. Participants gained insights into the commonalities and differences that emerged as the same tradition evolved in two nations shaped by fundamentally distinct political, religious, and social contexts.

c. A collective viewing session of selected original artworks from the Museum Rietberg collection provided participants with an opportunity to observe and discuss technical nuances, stylistic variations, and approaches to materiality. Scheduled midway through the workshop, this session enabled participants to apply their growing technical understanding and to appreciate the artworks with greater discernment.

d. A curated selection of films produced by the Museum Rietberg, featuring Murad and Manish, was presented. The screenings were followed by viewings of the objects depicted in the films and subsequent discussions with the two artists. These sessions provided valuable insights into the contemporary contexts of the tradition.

e. Participants engaged in hands-on practice across the full process of traditional painting preparation, including paper preparation, pigment making, initial lining, colour application, gilding, and the final lining and rendering of artworks.

Selected feedbacks by
- Amélie Couvrat Desvergnes, Independent paper and book conservator, Nogent sur Marne, France
- Indranil Banerjee, GBF Fellow (Fall 2025), Museum Rietberg, Zurich
- Lea Peterer, MA student, paper conservation, University of Basel  

Research Report by Dhrupad Mehta

From 2 June to 23 June 2025, I visited Zurich as part of the first phase of my research on the life and art practice of Saroj Rathod, an appliqué textile artist from Ahmedabad, India. This research, formally commenced in February 2025, is supported by the GBF Foundation and Museum Rietberg and builds on introductory work undertaken during the SOAS–Museum Rietberg Internship in June 2024. The project focuses on gathering archival and provenance information, analysing Saroj’s works through an art historical lens, and situating her practice within broader historical and socio-cultural contexts. It also seeks to interrogate hierarchical and hegemonic ideas embedded in art historical discourse and examine how such frameworks are governed by the larger art and cultural ecosystem and influence the same.

During my time in Zurich, I collaborated with Bhavya Gaur, who is researching on Chamba Rumal, an embroidery practice from India. This collaboration facilitated peer learning, the exchange of research findings, and the identification of intersecting themes for potential future exhibitions.

Examination of Museum Collections
In the initial phase of my visit, I had the opportunity to examine Saroj Rathod’s works from the Museum Rietberg’s collection. This first-hand study was a pivotal step, as certain narrative and stylistic elements were difficult to identify in digital images, given the scale and style of Saroj’s works(Image 1). Observing the works directly allowed me to identify motifs, symbols, and their evolving meanings in the artist’s practice. It also enabled the tentative dating of some pieces, helping establish a chronology of her artistic journey and trace the progression of her style.

The museum’s collection, comprising 90 works of Saroj, is one of the most comprehensive representations of her artistic journey. It includes some of her earliest works alongside later pieces, where one can see the changes in her distinctive individualistic style. For instance, image 2 is one of the earliest works of Saroj and images 3 and 4 showcase much later works. After comparing them, one can observe how the style and composition shift from more negative space to narratives and depictions, taking the entire base cloth. It also shows how human figures were created with more detailed and diverse elements in comparison to earlier work, and how the colour scheme and selection also shift.

This extensive body of work provided a holistic perspective on Saroj’s creative evolution in terms of forms, narratives, and techniques.

Following this analysis, I engaged in constructive discussions with Bhavya Gaur, Dr Johannes Beltz, and Sonika Soni about the research progress and the critical questions raised by Saroj’s art practice.

Archival Research and Literature Review
I also examined archival materials that document Saroj’s engagement with Museum Rietberg and her artistic practice. These included letters, archival photographs, exhibition posters, calendars, and other documentary sources preserved by Dr Eberhard Fischer and Barbara Fischer.

At the Museum Rietberg Library, I undertook an extensive literature review, consulting publications such as books, essays and magazine articles on Saroj and her work, as well as critical writings on rural, folk and tribal arts in India, appliqué practices from Gujarat, craft practices and modern and contemporary Indian art. This research will support the contextualisation of Saroj’s practice within broader art historical and cultural discourses. All findings were carefully documented through detailed notes and photographs.

Field Visits and Scholarly Engagement
Beyond the museum’s collection, I met with individual scholars who had worked closely with Saroj in the past. Notably, I engaged in extended conversations with Dr Eberhard Fischer and Barbara Fischer, whose longstanding collaboration with Saroj has resulted in commissioned works, publications, exhibitions, and archival materials that remain central to understanding her practice.

I also visited the Museum of Cultures, Basel, which holds one of Saroj’s earliest works, gifted by Haku Shah, an art historian and ethnographer who encouraged Saroj to create and commissioned works.

After Switzerland, I travelled to Germany to continue field research, visiting Nuremberg and Bayreuth. Here, I examined Saroj’s works in the Women in One World collection and at Iwalewa House, University of Bayreuth, where I engaged with art scholars, curators and examined exhibition catalogues, publications and archival materials.

Workshops and Collaborative Discussions
During my stay, I participated in a workshop organised by Dr Johannes Beltz with Dr Annette Bhagwati, Attia Shiraz, and Sonika Soni. Together with Bhavya Gaur, we brainstormed potential narratives and conceptual frameworks for a future exhibition exploring Saroj’s appliqué textiles and Chamba Rumal embroidery. The discussion focused on engaging the South Asian diaspora and textile practitioners in Switzerland and the UK, celebrating rich textile traditions while critically interrogating art historical hierarchies.

Key themes included the classification of “art” and “craft,” the politics of art historical and cultural classifications, the impact of social identities such as caste and gender on artistic recognition, agency and representation, and the influence of patrons and commissioners on individual practices. We also considered how feminist perspectives might reframe narratives within art and cultural history. To deepen these themes, we met with teams across the museum—including design, marketing, and art education departments—to explore strategies for audience engagement.

Institutional Collaboration and Future Directions
The visit also included a meeting with a delegation of professors from the SOAS School of Arts to reimagine the annual internship collaboration between SOAS and the Museum Rietberg. As a former participant, I contributed reflections and recommendations based on my experience. With the new design, the internship will be more closely aligned with students’ academic work and dissertations, establishing deeper engagement with museum collections and opening new pathways for collaborative research, which will benefit all the stakeholders involved.

Reflections and Next Steps
This research trip to Switzerland provided a unique opportunity to examine primary materials, engage with leading scholars, and refine the framework of my ongoing study on Saroj Rathod’s art practice. The generous support and insights from colleagues at Museum Rietberg and the GBF Foundation have helped shape critical questions for future exploration. These findings will inform the next phase of research, which aims to situate Saroj’s practice within larger discourses on artistic agency, cultural production, and the intersections of gender, caste, and art history.

Research Report by Bhavya Gaur

The visit to Zurich from June 2 to June 23, 2025, concluded the initial phase of a six-month research project on Chamba Rumals and the works of Saroj Rathod. My project focused on exploring the history, techniques, and revival of Chamba Rumals through secondary research, analysis of museum collections, and fieldwork in Chamba. During the Zurich visit, I collaborated with Dhrupad Mehta to synthesize findings and identify themes for future research and exhibitions. Below are the key highlights of the visit.

Physical Examination of Textiles
I had the opportunity to closely examine several Chamba Rumals in the museum’s collection, revealing details not visible in digital reproductions (Image 1 and 2). The analysis focused on stitching techniques, thread types, and their visual effects. For instance, horizontal stitches create a lustrous effect, appearing darker from certain angles, while vertical stitches lack this quality. When combined, these techniques produce a striking interplay of light and shadow (Image 3). I documented these observations through detailed notes and photographs, capturing nuances critical to understanding the craftsmanship.

Collaborative Discussions
Throughout the visit, I engaged in productive discussions with Dhrupad and colleagues from marketing, design, and art education departments. These conversations provided valuable feedback on the ongoing research and its potential translation into an exhibition. We explored aspects such as display strategies, marketing approaches, and audience engagement, broadening the project’s scope. The staff’s positive response and insightful suggestions enriched our planning.

Additionally, I met with Dr. Eberhard Fischer at his residence to discuss my fieldwork in Chamba. I shared that the embroidery tradition is thriving, with many women actively practicing it—a contrast to Dr. Fischer’s observations from decades ago when the craft was less prevalent. His questions about techniques, materials, and the roles of embroiderers and painters prompted deeper reflection and opened new avenues for inquiry.

Workshops and Meetings
A workshop was held to brainstorm ideas for a potential exhibition with Dr. Johannes Beltz, Dr. Annette Bhagwati and Attia Shiraz. I presented my research, highlighting key findings and posing questions for future exploration, such as the role of women embroiderers in the past and present. It was agreed that the next phase of research could focus on the historical and contemporary contributions of women embroiderers which has been under-documented historically. Additionally, there was contemplation as to how we can reach out to the South-Asian diaspora in the UK and Switzerland through these objects. It was also highlighted that such an undertaking is important to highlight the underlying gender and caste (in the case of Saroj Rathod) discriminations in the art historical discourse as well as in the larger society which can affect the reception of these textiles by the audiences.

I also attended a separate meeting on the SOAS-Museum Rietberg collaboration, drawing on my experience as a former intern. The discussion centered on enhancing the internship program by expanding opportunities to departments like Africa, Middle East, and Korea and aligning it with students’ dissertation projects.

Key Outcomes
The Zurich visit provided a critical opportunity to review the research conducted thus far, identify gaps, and outline future directions. My study of Chamba Rumals has deepened my understanding of their historical evolution, technical intricacies, and ongoing revival. Feedback from colleagues offered fresh perspectives on the research’s relevance and its potential to resonate with Swiss audiences. These insights will shape the next phase of the project, guiding further exploration of the cultural and artistic significance of Chamba Rumals.

We are delighted to announce the selections for the "One Object in Question" residency program at the Museum Rietberg: 
Indranil Banerjee will take part in a three-month residency from mid-August to mid-November 2025, while Soujit Das will conduct his research visit from mid-February to mid-May 2026. We warmly congratulate both scholars and look forward to welcoming them!

Indranil Banerjee (Fall 2025)

Indranil Banerjee is an art historian based in New Delhi, India. He received a BA in art history from MSU. Baroda and an MA from the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2024. With specialization in early-modern South Asian visual and material culture, especially on the Rajput courts of Rajasthan, his scholarly interests encompass the study of image-text relationship, religion, sovereignty, landscape, and history of senses. He has previously taught courses on the arts of colonial South Asia at the University of Hyderabad and is currently working as a researcher for a book project on Vallabha Sampradaya in the 18th to 20th century. Indranil Banerjee is also interested in Hindi-Urdu and Persian literary traditions. 

At the Museum Rietberg Indranil Banerjee will study an early 18th-century painting from Udaipur that depicts a verse from Saundaryalahari. Exploring its Sakta-Tantric theme in relation to the region’s religious trends, texts, and the object’s iconography and materiality, his research proposes to engage with the dynamics of patronage and reception of such objects.

Soujit Das (Spring 2026)

Dr. Soujit Das is an independent researcher from India. An alumnus of Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati, Santiniketan & Department of HSS, IIT Roorkee, he formerly taught History of Art at Government College of Art and Craft Calcutta and Amity University Noida. His primary area of research revolves around cross-cultural artistic encounters in early modern India. His ongoing research investigates into idea of death and the dying in Imperial Mughal paintings. He is also interested in exploring the visual culture of colonial Bengal.

During his residency Soujit Das' research will investigate the 1775 CE Guler-Basholi Bhagvata-Purana folio of 'House of the Pandava set on Fire'; from the inter-disciplinary lenses of art history, eschatology, religious studies and geo-aesthetics. His project also aims to explore different aspects of materiality.

Introduction

As part of my research project on Chamba Rumal at Museum Rietberg, I visited Winterthur, Switzerland, from 31 March to 16 April 2025 to assist Dr. Eberhard Fischer in his study of Alice Boner's collection of rumals, donated to the museum. The focus of the work was on translating related manuscripts, examining the physical rumals, and contributing to the editing of accompanying texts.

Initial Phase, Translation and Physical Examination

I arrived in Winterthur on the morning of 31 March, where I was introduced to Dr Eberhard Fischer and Barbara Fischer by Sonika. We commenced work on 1 April, beginning with the translation of a manuscript from German to English. On 2 and 3 April, we visited Museum Rietberg to physically examine the rumals. This step was essential, as many intricate details could not be discerned from digital images. During our examination, we systematically recorded the dimensions and thread counts of each rumal and closely observed features such as the types of stains (to determine possible use as coverlets), filling and outline stitches, and the presence of holes at the corners (suggesting their use as wall hangings). All findings were carefully documented in the manuscript for future reference. This detailed, hands-on examination enabled me to better understand the quality variations among the rumals, both in terms of embroidery technique and the precision of the line drawings. It also honed my ability to observe and analyse finer details necessary for accurate documentation.

Sketching, Editing, and Comparative Studies

Following the physical examination, Dr Fischer began the process of editing the manuscript, while I prepared border sketches and a complete detailed sketch of one rumal to highlight key features (see Figures 1 and 2). Additionally, I scanned reference images from various publications to assist in comparing the rumals with relevant paintings, other rumals, and related textiles.

Final Phase, Colour Study and Closing Tasks

In the final days of my stay, I focused on studying and identifying the colours used in Pahari miniature paintings, drawing upon Pahari Drawings in the Jagdish and Kamla Mittal Museum of Indian Art by Jagdish Mittal and John Seyller as my primary reference. I compiled a list of colour names from the book and collected sample colours from various online sources. Using this information, I attempted to match these colours to the thread colours found in the rumals. 

Achieving an exact match between painting colours and thread colours proved to be a challenge. Therefore, I concentrated on finding the closest matches while recognising that the process requires further refinement, especially in accounting for colour fading over time.

As we began concluding our work, my final task was to crop and prepare relevant details from the images of each rumal for integration into the main document.

Reflections

Throughout this research period, I had the opportunity to engage in numerous discussions with Dr Fischer, which significantly deepened my understanding of research methodologies. I observed that every word added to the manuscript was the result of careful thought and critical reflection. Information relating to the rumals and associated paintings was meticulously deliberated upon before being incorporated into the main document, with revisions made as new insights emerged.

This process was both enlightening and instructive. It taught me the importance of questioning information, thinking independently, and approaching research with patience and thoroughness. It also helped demystify the research process, making it feel more accessible and less overwhelming. I learned that with organised, focused effort, complex research tasks can be approached systematically and effectively.

Most importantly, this experience laid a strong foundation for my own ongoing research on Chamba Rumals and has equipped me to ask more critical, informed questions in future examinations.

About the author

With big dreams and a boundless love for South Asian art, Bhavya Gaur is on a mission to share its beauty with the world. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in History from Delhi University, followed by an M.A. in Curating Cultures at SOAS, University of London. These studies honed her expertise in the intersection of art, history, and culture.

Complementing her academic pursuits, Bhavya gained practical experience as a curatorial intern at the Mehrangarh Museum Trust in Jodhpur. There, she contributed to documenting a collection of photographs by the royal family, enriching her understanding of archival practices and curatorial work. This experience seamlessly aligned with her scholarly interests.

Bhavya’s curiosity drives her to explore diverse research topics, including the curation of popular culture, visual arts, and their historical connections. A pivotal moment in her career came during her internship at Museum Rietberg when she encountered the Chamba Rumal collection. Initially drawn to miniature paintings, she shifted her focus to these intricate textile pieces, sparking a new research interest. She continues to investigate the art historical significance of textiles and their relationship to other visual arts, with plans to deepen her expertise in this field.

Stay tuned for more infomation and updates!

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This extraordinary exhibition at the Museum Rietberg was devoted to Ragamala—a jewel of Indian Art, where music, poetry, and visual art intertwine. Showcasing around fifty exquisite masterpieces from the museum’s collection, the exhibition was enriched by works from contemporary miniature painters, creating a dialogue between tradition and modernity.

Visitors were invited to experience these lyrical stories through a multi-sensory journey of image, sound, poetry, and even fragrance. Newly arranged music, evocative scents, and immersive films brought the world of Ragamala painting to life, blending sound and imagery into a uniquely rich, sensual experience.

The exhibition emerged from the Ragamala Project, launched in 2021 as part of the GBF’s research program on Indian art and artists at the Museum Rietberg.

For more information on the exhbition, please click here.

Sonika Soni – First GBF Resident Scholar at the Museum Rietberg

We were pleased to welcome Sonika Soni as the first GBF resident scholar at the Museum Rietberg in 2021. With great enthusiasm and dedication, she has worked closely with the museum’s curatorial team and other departments, as well as with external experts from institutions across Switzerland, including the Swiss Institute for Art Research (SIK-ISEA).

The outcomes of her research have been, and will continue to be, shared through public lectures and scholarly publications, including a series of articles and potentially a monograph. A major result of her residency is the exhibition Ragamala: Pictures for All Senses, on view from 20 September 2024 to 21 January 2025.