Vishvamitra Asks Dasharatha's Permission to Take Young Rama and Lakshmana into the Forest

Currently not on view

Vishvamitra Asks Dasharatha's Permission to Take Young Rama and Lakshmana into the Forest

c. 1605

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

The first illustrated version of the Ramayana was made in the imperial Mughal workshop using Emperor Akbar's Persian translation. This slightly later version was done for a Hindu Rajput patron who probably resided at the Mughal court. Unlike Mughal paintings done for Muslim patrons, where blocks of Persian text are integrated into the image, the pages in this Ramayana have the original Sanskrit text on the back, following the North Indian Hindu manuscript tradition. In addition, the pages were probably stacked, rather than sewn together (the irregular shape is due to fire damage soon after the manuscript was completed). Here King Dasharatha talks with a holy hermit who requests the help of two young princes (blue-skinned Rama and his brother Lakshmana, seen just behind the throne) to drive a demon out of his forest hermitage.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

Vishvamitra Asks Dasharatha's Permission to Take Young Rama and Lakshmana into the Forest
Page from a dispersed series of the Ramayana

Date:

c. 1605

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

Medium:

Opaque watercolor and gold on paper

Dimensions:

Sheet: 9 9/16 × 7 1/2 inches (24.3 × 19.1 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

125th Anniversary Acquisition. Alvin O. Bellak Collection, 2004

Accession Number:

2004-149-15

Geography:

Made in northern India, India, Asia

Context:

Dynasty: Mughal Dynasty (1526-1858)

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Currently not on view