Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his Army

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his Army

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This small panel, probably for worship in a household shrine, depicts an enthroned Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, attended by his consort, Sita,and to her right Rama's younger brother, Lakshmana, holding a bow. The noble ensemble is being venerated by an assembly of holy men (rishis) and Hanuman's monkey army, all holding their hands in anjali mudra, a gesture of reverence. Hanuman himself kneels before his Lord and touches his foot, an act of profound respect. The divine setting is evoked by the architecture, typical of a south Indian temple shrine and gateway (gopura), enhanced by celestial musicians and garland bearers (vidyadharas) who resemble European cherubs. During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Nayak sculpture, especially miniature works in ivory, came to display an increasing awareness of European imagery.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his ArmyRama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his ArmyRama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his ArmyRama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his ArmyRama, Sita, and Lakshmana being Honored by Sages, Hanuman, and his Army

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.