A LARGE ENTHRONEMENT SCENE WITH LORD RAMA AND HIS CONSORT SITA (RAMA DURBAR)
Thanjavur (Tanjore), Tamil Nadu, Southern India, 19th century

Opaque pigments, ink, and gold leaf on paper, the large vertical composition depicting an enthronement scene with the Seventh Avatara (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, Rama, and his consort Sita, the blessed couple surrounded by devotees and allies, in particular, the Monkey god Hanuman at the base of the throne holding up the god's foot; King Sugriva's and his army general on the lower left; the seven Rishis divided between two at the top next to Rama's caparisoned canopy and five seated on the lower right corner; on Rama and Sita's left the loyal Lakshmana, on their right Bharata and Shatrughna; the enthronement scene set inside a golden templar complex with polylobed golden arches, mounted and glazed on a double wooden frame painted with tiger stripes, 88cm x 72cm including the frame.