Siege of Lanka, Illustration from a Ramayana Series, 1595-1605
Unknown artist, Indiaexpand_more
Opaque watercolor and gold on paperexpand_more
The Jane and James Emison Endowment for South Asian and Indian Art and the Helen Jones Fund for Asian Artexpand_more 2010.6.2
On View in Gallery 211expand_more
This painting comes from a well-known, widely dispersed manuscript of one of the most important Hindu epics, the Ramayana. Probably commissioned by a sub-imperial Mughal official in northern India, and damaged by fire, it shows Rama, the epic’s blue-skinned hero and an avatar of Vishnu, standing on the right next to his brother, Lakshmana. They have arrived at the foot of the demon Ravana’s palace in Lanka to rescue Rama’s wife Sita, held captive in the golden fort in the distance. They command an army of bears and monkeys, led by the monkey king Hanuman and the bear king Jambavan, against Ravana’s demon armies. The lively, colorful rendering shows the artist’s skill in illustrating the natural world and conveying movement, particularly seen in the demons lurking behind the rocks.
Details
- Title
- Siege of Lanka, Illustration from a Ramayana Series
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2010.6.2
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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