SOUTH INDIA, TANJORE, 19TH CENTURY

The present painting depicts Ramapattabhisheka, or Consecration of Rama, a triumphant scene in the celebrated poem Ramayana that follows Rama’s exile in the forest for fourteen years. Having defeated Ravana and rescued Sita, Rama returns to his kingdom and is crowned in Ayodhya. A common subject in Tanjore paintings, the scene shows Rama surrounded by his wife and his brothers. To his right stand rishis (sages), while below, Hanuman is depicted alongside Sugriva, vanaras, and some of Ravana’s former followers who joined Rama’s army during the war.
The painting is executed on a wood panel using polychrome pigments, gold, glass paste and stucco in relief. The remarkable gesso work, a distinctive and renowned feature of Tanjore painting, is masterfully applied to elevate the main figures and the decorative arches, creating a striking three-dimensional effect. This technique enhances the intricacy of the details and embellishments, lending the painting its characteristic opulence.