Painting study · Tempera
Ravana addresses Sita in the garden of Lanka, from Chapters 53 and 54 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey)c. 1725 · Study 1966.143
Artist not recorded
c. 1725
Recorded as Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper, this horizontal work measures 79 × 55.5 cm using the museum’s painting dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.
Museum collection reference. This work is not offered for sale by Physical Art For Crypto. Museum attribution does not imply a partnership or endorsement.
Context from the museum
The viewer is cut off from Lanka by the surrounding sea and the city’s golden walls in this expansive composition probably intended for courtly display This choice of perspective cleverly emphasizes the captivity of the Sita, faithful wife of the hero Rama. She kneels beneath an ashoka tree, guarded by demonesses. The princess’s abductor, the 10-headed and 20-armed demon lord of Lanka, Ravana, appears twice in the image. In the palace, he consults his council of minions. At the right, he hears Sita’s refusal to marry him. Ravana neither harms her, nor sets her free.
Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.
A detail to notice
Ravana’s wives take the forms of beautiful women and fearsome demonesses.
Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Read the dimensions before the image
The selected painting measurement for Ravana addresses Sita in the garden of Lanka, from Chapters 53 and 54 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) is 79 cm wide and 55.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 31.1 × 21.9 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 1.42:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.44 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.
On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 26.3% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 110.5 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.
Questions to bring to your own collection
With Ravana addresses Sita in the garden of Lanka, from Chapters 53 and 54 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.
- Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
- Would a 79 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
- What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?
Explore physical scale
How large would this format feel on your wall?
Use this museum work’s recorded format as a reference. Adjust a blank wall and optional frame allowance to compare proportions. The museum painting is an educational reference and is not for sale here.
Calculation: outside width = recorded width + twice your frame allowance. This is a proportion study, not an installation assessment. It excludes furniture, hardware, load capacity, depth and delivery clearance. The display image may include margins absent from the recorded measurement.
Compare formats with the studio collection
These Lei-Kol works have the closest width-to-height ratios in the current catalog. This is a geometry comparison, not a claim of artistic similarity, equivalent value, or association with the museum artist.
| Painting | Width × height | Format ratio | USD catalog price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bipolar | 60 × 48 in | 1.25:1 | $3,499 |
| Brick and Mortar | 60 × 48 in | 1.25:1 | $3,499 |
| Dominion | 60 × 48 in | 1.25:1 | $3,499 |
Availability and delivery costs must be confirmed for the individual order.
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