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Unknown Maker, Thai

Gable Decoration of Rama, the Seventh Avatar of Vishnu
Now On View

Description

Maker

Unknown Maker, Thai

Culture

Thai

Title

Gable Decoration of Rama, the Seventh Avatar of Vishnu

Year

1800s

Medium

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

Materials

lacquer, wood, glass

Dimensions

94.5 x 63.5 x 14 cm (37 3/16 x 25 x 5 1/2 inches)

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Gift of Doris Duke's Southeast Asian Art Collection

Object Number

2004.12.27

Type

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Asian Art Galleries
Jun 10, 2014

Label copy

The chakra (wheel) and bow and arrow held by this figure indicate that it represents Rama, the god Vishnu’s earthly manifestation. Probably once attached to a roof gable board, the work depicts Rama in the attire of a Thai royal. While Buddhism was the primary religion practiced in Thailand when this figure was made, Thai

kings identified with Rama, whose adventures are recounted in the Ramayana, the Hindu epic written between the seventh and fourteenth centuries BCE. A Thai version of the epic, Ramakien, compiled by King Rama I (1736-1809), became an important influence on Thai art, drama, and literature.

Sumptuous Expression
The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Gift of Southeast Asian Art
Jun 25, 2004 – Oct 10, 2004
Rockefeller Asian Art Gallery

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This object is in the Public Domain and available under a CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication

Tombstone

Unknown Maker, Thai
Gable Decoration of Rama, the Seventh Avatar of Vishnu, 1800s
Wood, lacquer, glass, and mirrors
94.5 x 63.5 x 14 cm (37 3/16 x 25 x 5 1/2 inches)
Gift of Doris Duke's Southeast Asian Art Collection 2004.12.27

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