Rama and Sita in the royal palace (recto), from a Kalighat album
Medium
Woodcut, hand colored with gum tempera
Dimensions
secondary support: 29.7 × 47.7 cm · print only: 24.1 × 33 cm
Classification
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward
Accession Number
2003.156.a
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
The finale of the Ramayana presents Rama and Sita enthroned as the rightful rulers of the kingdom of Ayodhya. They are surrounded by Rama’s brothers, their loyal monkey allies, sages, and nobles. The balanced, symmetrical composition evokes the peace and stability that Rama’s millennia-long reign will bring to the kingdom. The artist has anachronistically set the scene in an 1800s Calcutta mansion, complete with glass sconces and lamps hanging from the ceiling. Since Calcutta (now Kolkata) was t...