Ramayana Trade Cloth

India, for the Indonesian market
Cotton; painted mordant and resist
18th Century
38 x 203 in / 96.5 x 515 cm
Price on request / SOLD

This rare Ramayana Indian trade cloth presents a classic heroic theme of good vs. evil: Rama, assisted by Arjuna, and Hanuman the monkey god, vanquishes Ravana and his demons. The art is vigorous and color exceptionally strong on this cloth, which would have been traded for spice. The subject of a great battle with heads and limbs flying would appeal to both Indonesian urban courts and remote tribal headhunters. See John Guy, Woven Cargoes pp 116-117; Masters of the Cloth TAPI Collection p 20; Yoshimoto for a broken example pp 58-59
Note: We are awaiting updated images. Detail and pre conservation images shown here.