Battle between monkeys and demons, from the “Shangri” Ramayana
Unknown Artist
c. 1700–25
Medium
Gum tempera and ink on paper
Dimensions
painting: 19.4 × 29.2 cm · page: 22.2 × 32.1 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Sundry Art - Miscellaneous Fund
Accession Number
2025.9
About this artwork
When the demon Ravana refused to return Sita to her husband, the divine hero Rama, Ravana sent his army to attack Rama. Rama’s army, made up mainly of monkeys from the forest, fought valiantly using only trees and rocks. The artist creates a tapestry of color and form to convey the confusion of battle.