Artwork Page for Sita asks Rama to fetch the golden deer, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

Details / Information for Sita asks Rama to fetch the golden deer, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

Sita asks Rama to fetch the golden deer, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

c. 1700–1725

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms, Himachal Pradesh

Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Measurements
Page: 21.2 x 31.5 cm (8 3/8 x 12 3/8 in.); Painting: 18.2 x 28.2 cm (7 3/16 x 11 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Sundry Art - Miscellaneous Fund 2025.7
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
010 Focus Gallery
Print
?

Did You Know?

The spots on the golden deer show that it shimmers with multiple colors.

Description

Sita exclaims to Rama, “What an exquisite deer! He has stolen my heart away. Please catch him for me, my great-armed husband. He shall be our plaything. . . . Never before have we seen an animal such as this. His body sparkles with different colors and is speckled with chips of precious stones; he illuminates the entire forest, for with his golden hide and horns of precious gems, he shows all the brilliance of the morning sun, all the luster of the starry heavens.”

Lakshmana is suspicious and warns against having anything to do with the enchanting deer.
A horizontally oriented tempera and ink painting depicts Rama, a god with dark blue skin, and a medium-toned man within a hut on our left. In the center, Sita, a woman with medium skin tone in a purple garment, points toward a spotted deer leaping on the right. Stylized trees and plants are scattered across the yellow background. The scene is framed by a red border containing script.

Sita asks Rama to fetch the golden deer, from the “Shangri” Ramayana

c. 1700–1725

Northern India, Pahari kingdoms, Himachal Pradesh

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

Shop the CMA Store

Shop More Art

Contact Us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

Update or Correct Artwork Information

Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

Report a Website Issue

Further Questions About This Artwork