18th - 19th century
The painting depicts the joyous moment of the birth of King Dasharatha’s three wives’ sons – Kaushalya’s Rama, Kaikeyi’s Bharata, Sumitra’s Lakshmana and Shatrughna. The dark-skinned Rama is seen with his mother Kaushalya on the far left, while the dark-skinned Bharata, and the light-skinned Lakshmana and Shatrughna are on the far left. In the lower register, king Dasharatha of Ayodhya sits opposite the group of sages and priests who performed the ritual which helped him obtain sons. According to the text of the Indian Epic Ramayana, he donated cows to the priests as a token of his gratitude. On the reverse of this painting, is another depiction of the new mothers with their sons. This double-sided folio possibly belongs to a Ramayana manuscript produced in Sirohi. Other folios from the same manuscript in the Harvard Art Museums’ collections are 1973.164, 1973.165, 1973.166.A, 1973.166.B, 1973.167, 1973.168.B, 1973.169, 1973.170.A, 1973.170.B, 1973.171. Rajput, Rajasthani, Sirohi School.
25.7 x 30.6 cm (10 1/8 x 12 1/16 in.)
Ink, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
17th centuryPersianDouble-sided, detached leaf from an incomplete manuscript; ink, color, and gold on black paper
18th centuryNepaleseOpaque watercolor and gold on paper; Rajput Style, Bikaner School
17th centuryIndianThe thirty-eighth of a series of 54 backing sheets mounted in an album; ink and color on paper
16th centuryJapaneseInk, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
18th-19th centuryOttomanOpaque watercolor on paper
18th centuryIndianOpaque watercolor and gold on paper
17th centuryIndianOpaque watercolor on paper
17th centuryIndianTwo-sided, horizontal, accordion-fold manuscript; ink, color, and gold on paper; with lacquered cover
19th centuryThaiPaper cord bound draft book; ink on paper
19th centuryJapaneseDouble-sided, detached leaf from an incomplete manuscript; ink, color, and gold on black paper
18th centuryNepalese