The Demon Kumbhakarna Is Defeated by Rama and Lakshmana: Folio from a Dispersed Ramayana Series

ca. 1670

Not on view

According to the Ramayana, Kumbhakarna, the terrifying giant and brother of Ravana, was causing great damage to the monkey army when Rama and Lakshmana entered the battle. Using magical arrows of great power, Rama severed Kumbhakarna's limbs and filled his mouth with pointed steel shafts. The pathos of the demon's defeat is emphasized by his dismembered body parts being carried away by the bear and monkey warriors. Compared to the Mughal depiction The Awakening of the Demon Kumbhakarna, which shows the giant sleeping, this Malwa portrayal focuses on his violent and bloody demise. The brilliant red and black color fields and the spatial ambiguity are drawn from earlier Hindu painting traditions of Malwa, where the Mughal style had little impact.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

Title: The Demon Kumbhakarna Is Defeated by Rama and Lakshmana: Folio from a Dispersed Ramayana Series
Date: ca. 1670
Culture: India, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa
Medium: Ink and opaque watercolor on paper
Dimensions: 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 in. (21.6 x 16.5 cm)
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Gift of George W. Bahlke, 2001
Object Number: 2001.541
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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