Double-sided folio from a Ramayana series
Unknown Artist
ca. 1690–1710
Medium
Opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions
4 3/16 × 10 7/8 in. (10.7 × 27.7 cm)
Classification
Manuscripts
Culture & Period
India, Himachal Pradesh, unidentified sub-school · Pahari period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Nancy Fessenden Gift, 2018
Accession Number
2018.361
Art Historical Context
This exquisite double-sided folio from aayana series, created around 1690–1710 in theari hills of Himachal Pradesh,, offers a glimpse into the devotional world of Hindu epic storytelling. Part of a manuscript tradition, it illustrates key episodes from the Ramayana, the ancient Sanskrit poem recounting Prince Rama's quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana. by an unidentified artist from a sub-school in this vibrant hill region, such folios were prized by regional rulers and nobles, blending spirituality with artistic patronage during the Pahari period (17th–19th centuries). C...