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Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana visit the hermitage of the sage Bharadvaja at Prayaga, from Chapter 48 of the Ayodhya Kanda (Book of Ayodhya) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey)

Unknown

1650

unspecified

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Baroque Mughal Painting Baroque Religious Madhya Pradesh

Dominant colour

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana visit the hermitage of the sage Bharadvaja at Prayaga, from Chapter 48 of the Ayodhya Kanda (Book of Ayodhya) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) is a 1650 unspecified by Unknown, a Baroque work, depicting Madhya Pradesh, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1650 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

You see a blue-skinned prince, his wife, and his brother bowing to a sage in a fancy forest home. The building has marble walls with flower designs and little shelves holding bottles. This painting is from a 1600s Indian version of the *Ramayana*, a famous old story. The artist mixed Hindu and Mughal styles—notice the arched windows that look like ones from Mughal palaces. If you like this, look up more paintings from central india, malwa region, madhya pradesh.

The story of this work

Overview

In a scene from their exile in the forest, the royal party arrives at the hermitage of a sage who greets him with folded hands. The blue Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother Lakshmana bow slightly in respect to the sage. The hermitage appears luxurious, with floral ornament inlaid in marble, bottles in niches, and an entrance similar to Mughal viewing windows.