Hanuman with Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders, from a Kalighat album

Description

A simplified but bold color palette of orange, yellow, and green with silvery accents gives this image of Rama, Lakshmana, and their monkey ally Hanuman a sense of rhythm and urgency. Riding on Hanuman’s shoulders, the hero Rama—painted green—and his brother Lakshmana search for Rama’s abducted wife Sita. At the bottom of the painting, an informal scrawl contemplates the identification of the colossal figure as either the “Great Hero” Hanuman or Sugriva, but the image of a devoted tawny monkey carrying the two brothers unambiguously indicates Hanuman, Rama’s most faithful follower.

Provenance

William E. Ward [1922–2004], Solon, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–2003); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2003–)

Hanuman with Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders, from a Kalighat album

[]

c. 1890

Accession Number

2003.120

Medium

Gum tempera, graphite, ink, and tin on paper

Dimensions

Overall: 68.8 x 42.6 cm (27 1/16 x 16 3/4 in.); Painting: 45.6 x 29.4 cm (17 15/16 x 11 9/16 in.)

Classification

Painting

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

Gift of William E. Ward in memory of his wife, Evelyn Svec Ward