Rama Releases the Demon Spies Shuka and Sarana: Folio from the Siege of Lanka series
ca. 1725
Medium
Opaque watercolor, ink and gold on paper
Dimensions
Image: 22 1/4 × 31 1/4 in. (56.5 × 79.4 cm) Sheet: 23 1/2 × 32 3/4 in. (59.7 × 83.2 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture
India, Guler, Himachal Pradesh
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
19.24.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This vibrant painting by the renowned Pahari artist Manaku captures a dramatic moment from the Indian epic Ramayana. Created around 1725 in Guler, Himachal Pradesh, it belongs to the “Siege of Lanka” series and shows the noble hero Rama magnanimously releasing the demon spies Shuka and Sarana sent by the ten-headed king Ravana. The scene brims with energy as monkeys, demons, and architectural details of the besieged city fill the expansive composition, inviting viewers into the heart of this ancient battle narrative. Executed in opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper, the folio demonstrate...