Who painted Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana?

Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana was painted by Unknown in 1850.

Where can I see Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana?

Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana?

Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana is associated with Indian Miniature.

Artwork

Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana

Unknown , 1850

Hanuman, Rama and Sita and Lakshmana is a paint painting by the Indian Miniature artist Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This opaque watercolor on paper presents a small narrative scene set on a bright terrace.

About this work

Overview

This opaque watercolor on paper presents a small narrative scene set on a bright terrace. Four figures occupy the composition: a seated woman in red, a man in yellow holding a white fan, another man in yellow and pink with a staff, and a vibrant orange figure with a monkey‑like face brandishing a bow. The background features a blue sky, trees and a white building with a patterned railing.

Subject & Meaning

The central action shows the monkey deity Hanuman bowing before the divine couple Rama and Sita, a gesture of devotion common in Hindu iconography. Behind them stands Lakshmana, identifiable by his holding of a fly‑whisk, indicating his role as attendant and protector. The arrangement emphasizes loyalty and reverence within the epic narrative of the Ramayana.

Technique & Style

Executed in opaque watercolor, the work employs flat areas of vivid pigment that flatten spatial depth, a characteristic of many South Asian courtly paintings. The use of strong primary colors—yellow, red, orange—and the stylized rendering of faces and garments create a decorative surface rather than a naturalistic illusion.

History & Provenance

The painting is one of 196 items—prints, drawings and paintings—assembled by J. Lockwood Kipling between 1865 and 1893. Most of the album consists of lithographs marketed at fairs and bazaars in Upper India and Bengal. In 1917 the collection was bequeathed to the museum by Kipling’s son, the writer Rudyard Kipling.

Context

The album reflects the 19th‑century British interest in Indian visual culture, gathering works that were widely circulated among colonial audiences. Such pieces often served both as souvenirs and as educational material about Indian religious narratives, illustrating how Hindu mythological themes were adapted for a market beyond their traditional devotional settings.