Textile Panel with Scenes from the Ramayana

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This remarkably fine Nepalese panel is a rare survivor of an important genre of textile art featuring figurative embroidery. It was likely part of a garment worn by Vaishnava priests officiating major acts of worship. The central field contains dramatic battle scenes: At the top, Ravana rides in his six-wheeled makara-drawn chariot. Below, the heroic triad of Rama, Lakshmana, and Hanuman battle a white demon, possibly Ravana’s brother, the giant Kumbhakarna (presumably also represented in the chariot above).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art