id:			130637
accession number:	1953.357
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1953.357
updated:		2023-05-31 11:29:57.702000

Rama and Lakshmana Fighting Ravana, from a Dashavatara (Ten Incarnations [of Vishnu]) series, c. 1765. Northern India, Pahari Region, Himachal Pradesh, Rajput Kingdom of Chamba, Court of Raj Singh (reigned 1764–94). Gum tempera and gold on paper; painting: 21.2 x 15.8 cm (8 3/8 x 6 1/4 in.); overall: 26.8 x 19.4 cm (10 9/16 x 7 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Edward L. Whittemore Fund 1953.357

title:				Rama and Lakshmana Fighting Ravana, from a Dashavatara (Ten Incarnations [of Vishnu]) series
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			c. 1765
creation date earliest:		1745
creation date latest:		1775
current location:		242B Indian Painting
creditline:			Edward L. Whittemore Fund
copyright:			

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culture:	Northern India, Pahari Region, Himachal Pradesh, Rajput Kingdom of Chamba, Court of Raj Singh (reigned 1764–94)
technique:	Gum tempera and gold on paper
department:	Indian and Southeast Asian Art
collection:	Indian Art
type:		Painting
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Painting: 21.2 x 15.8 cm (8 3/8 x 6 1/4 in.); Overall: 26.8 x 19.4 cm (10 9/16 x 7 5/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

	inscription:	[[top border, in Takri]] sri raja ram lachhamana avatara
	translation:	
	remark:		

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Rajput Painting
	opening date:   1960-11-30T05:00:00
	<i>Rajput Painting</i>. The Asia Society Museum, New York, NY (organizer) (November 30, 1960-January 22, 1961).

	title:		Images of the Mind
	opening date:   1987-07-07T04:00:00
	<i>Images of the Mind</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 7-August 30, 1987).

	title:		Imagining Rama's Journey (Indian Painting rotation)
	opening date:   2023-03-10T05:00:00
	<i>Imagining Rama's Journey (Indian Painting rotation)</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 10-September 17, 2023).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	(Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, NY, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
	date: ?–1953
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1953–
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:
Rama and Lakshmana wield divine bows in their fight against the ten-headed demon Ravana.

digital description:


wall description:
Against the dark green and foreboding landscape, the final and much-anticipated battle between the demon king Ravana and the mighty princes Rama and Lakshmana unfolds. Ravana wields twenty weapons, including a poisonous snake in his front left hand. The blue Rama aims an enchanted crescent-shaped arrow at bees emitted from the donkey head at the apex of Ravana’s ten crowns. The arrow and bees stand for powerful mantras, or magical incantations, that can destroy one’s enemies. The impending defeat of Ravana will fulfill the purpose of Vishnu’s incarnation as Rama.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	Lee, Sherman E. and George Montgomery. <em>Rajput Painting; with an introductory essay and catalogue notes</em>. New York: Asia House, 1960.
	page number: 	Cat. no. 68.
	url:		

	Leach, Linda York. <em>Indian Miniature Paintings and Drawings</em>. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in cooperation with Indiana University Press, 1986.
	page number: 	Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 108, pp. 268–269
	url:		

	Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Images of the Mind.</em> Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1987.
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. 19.
	url:		

	Diane de Selliers, ed., <em>Rāmāyaṇa. </em>Volume VI. Paris: Diane de Selliers Éditeur, 2011.
	page number: 	Reproduced: p. 255
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1953.357/1953.357_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1953.357/1953.357_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1953.357/1953.357_full.tif