Sita asks Rama to fetch the golden deer, from the “Shangri” Ramayana
Unknown Artist
c. 1700–25
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
painting: 18.2 × 28.2 cm · page: 21.2 × 31.5 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Sundry Art - Miscellaneous Fund
Accession Number
2025.7
About this artwork
Sita, who accompanied her husband and brother-in-law into the forest for a 13-year exile, points to a magical golden deer. She points too to her husband Rama, the blue-skinned divine hero, entreating him to catch the creature for her to have as a beguiling pet. He is unwilling to leave her, but he will, falling for a demon’s ploy to abduct Sita.