The First Night in Exile Page from an illustrated manuscript of the Ramayana Series,

This painting comes from a celebrated series illustrating one of Hinduism’s great epics, the Ramayana. It tells the story of the prince Rama, who is wrongly exiled from his father’s kingdom, accompanied only by his wife and brother.

The episode depicted here is the group’s first night outside of the kingdom. The three royals, used to palatial surroundings, sleep on the ground in outfits made of leaves. Rama’s brother (with white skin) talks with the leader of a forest-dwelling tribe, whose men bring provisions for the exiles. The mood is somber but not without hope: the landscape is verdant, the stars are sparkling, and clearly the exiles will find allies among their new neighbors. The painting was created in brighter shades, as was typical for Indian painting, and then the artist applied a thin wash of bluish-gray over the entire surface, like a veil or curtain, to create the effect of the gloom of night.

Opaque watercolor on paper

Overall: 9 5/8 x 13 7/8 in. (24.4 x 35.2 cm)