'Enthroned Rama and Sita' Canvas Cloth Print, c.1765

Provenance

In the final scene of the Ramayana’s Yuddha Kanda, Rama and Sita sit enthroned together — the long exile ended, Ravana defeated, the world returned to order. Before them, the commanders of the monkey and bear armies offer their respects: Rama’s three brothers visible at the right, the chiefs of the monkey and bear armies arrayed in devotion before the royal pair, the composition holding both triumph and stillness in the same frame.

This leaf comes from a Pahari Ramayana manuscript produced around 1765 in the hill kingdoms of Northern India. The Pahari tradition — a school of miniature painting that flourished in the foothills of the Himalayas — is characterised by a jewel-toned palette, fine interior line, and an emotional register that moves between tender and ceremonial within the same folio. This scene occupies the formal register: symmetrical, hierarchical, figures placed with deliberate care against an architectural ground.

Disclaimer:

• The frames shown are for display purposes only and are not included with the artwork.
• As these are made-to-order designer pieces, expect minor colour variations from the displayed artwork.