Enthroned Rama and Sita receive homage from their monkey and bear Allies, from the Yuddha Kanda (Book of the War) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey)
Unknown Artist
c. 1765
Medium
gum tempera and gold on paper
Dimensions
40.7 × 28.9 cm · painting: 23.7 × 14.9 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase and partial gift from the Catherine and Ralph Benkaim Collection; Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
Accession Number
2018.117
About this artwork
This scene is set at the end of the Hindu epic Ramayana, after Rama returns from 14 years of exile in the forest. During Rama’s time of exile, Ravana abducted Rama’s wife Sita. Rama gathered an army of monkeys and bears, and rescued Sita. The chiefs of the monkey and bear armies pay their respects to the reunited royal couple.