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Image of The Celestial Chariot

Bookmark: https://collection.sdmart.org/objects-1/info/6137

The Celestial Chariot


Creation date: ca. 1650
Creation place: India

Other Information

Type: Watercolor Painting
Medium and Support: Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Credit Line: Edwin Binney 3rd Collection
Accession Number: 1990.1121
State/Province: Himachal Pradesh
Dimensions: 17 1/8 in. x 13 7/32 in. (43.5 cm x 33.6 cm)

Provenance

K.G. Mehra, New Delhi, India ( - Janaury 31, 1969)

Edwin Binney 3rd, San Diego, California (Janaury 31, 1969 - August 27, 1990)

San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego, California (August 27, 1990 - )

Label Copy

Towards the end of the Ramayana Rama has rescued Sita from Ravana's clutches in Lanka. A bridge has been built from Lanka across the water back to the mainland to let Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana return home to Ayodhya. In the painting the residents of Lanka bid goodbye to the monkeys and bears, who helped in the battle to rescue Sita. In the airborne palace filled with these curious beasts Rama and Sita look out from the top floor. Rama and Lakshman confer with the leaders of the animal army.
This set of Ramayana illustrations are among the earliest and most impressive narrative paintings from the Panjab Hills. Strongly based in the imperial Mughal style the quality of execution and finish as well as the lavish use of gold being obvious hallmarks of the manuscript, the paintings also exhibit a wit and charm in the depiction of the animals and water creatures.

Power & Desire, 04/00
Ravana made his Lanka a city of gold. Still, the residents are grateful to be delivered from their demon king. Rama has placed the kingdom in the hands of Ravana’s good younger brother. It is time to leave.
The army of bears marches back across the bridge that they built to reach Lanka. The monkeys would rather play in the water. And Rama has found an appropriate vehicle: the pushpaka vimana. This fabulous flying chariot, big as a city, belonged to Kubera, the god of wealth. It was stolen by Ravana. Now Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana ride it home, along with every monkey and bear who can clamber on. The residents of Lanka and the creatures of the deep
marvel at the vision of a golden city in the sky as it lights up the heavens.
This set of Ramayana illustrations is among the most impressive narrative paintings from the Panjab Hills. Strongly based in the imperial Mughal style with lavish use of gold, the paintings also exhibit a wit and charm in the depiction of the animals and water creatures.

Ramayana (2003)
THE FLYING CHARIOT AS LARGE AS A CITY (PUSHPAKA VIMANA) (RAMAYANA)
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper, ca. 1650
Panjab Hills, Mandi
Edwin Binney 3rd Collection
1990:1121

Seeing the state of things, the gods decided it was time to intervene and to reveal to Rama the divine plan of which he was a part. They proclaimed his identity as Vishnu and Sita’s as Lakshmi, his heavenly consort since before time.

In this painting, we see many of the players in the lila, or divine drama, of Rama assembled around the flames that have proven Sita’s loyalty. In the heavens, Rama and Sita are enshrined as Vishnu and Lakshmi. In the row with them are other gods, and Rama’s father and brothers. On earth we see more of the cast of characters—Rama’s sons, Rama and Sita, priests, Rama and Sita again, and Rama’s mother and step-mothers, as well as monkeys and bears, Bharata, a future incarnation of Vishnu, Ganesha the elephant god, and four-headed Brahma.

October 2005
Domains of Wonder
This brilliantly composed painting celebrates the joyful reunion of Rama with Sita and their return home after the long exile of fourteen years. The gold celestial chariot able to move with “the speed of mind,” was summoned to Rama's presence, and the reunited royal couple sits in the highest chamber. To the right of the painting, the grateful men and women of the city of Lanka came out to bid farewell, their eyes alight with adoration. Wondrous sea creatures wear expressions of delight, and the victorious monkeys and bears rejoice as they cross the land bridge from the island of Lanka.

Sonya Quintanilla (Seattle) 2012

The Celestial Chariot, ca. 1650
Opaque watercolor and gold on paper
Northern India, Himachal Pradesh, Mandi
The San Diego Museum of Art, Edwin Binney 3rd Collection

Indra, king of the gods, praised Rama and granted him a wish of his choosing for having defeated the demon Ravana, the scourge of the universe. Rama requested that all the monkeys and bears who died in battle be brought back to life. Indra complied, and the artist depicted them cavorting with joy, leaping across the bridge that they helped Rama construct over the ocean, on their return from Lanka to their forest home on the mainland.

Leaders of Rama’s army of monkeys and bears traveled aboard Pushpaka, a wondrous aircraft in the form of a mansion made entirely of gold and diamonds, capable of flying like a cloud. Ravana had stolen it from the god of wealth, and now Rama, Sita and Lakshmana could use it to return to Ayodhya in a single day with their friends, the term of exile now complete.


Last Updated: 9/5/2017

Exhibition

This object was included in the following exhibitions:

A Flower from Every Meadow: Indian Paintings from American Collections Asia Society Galleries , 3/21/1973 - 11/11/1973

Myths, Monsters, Maharajas: Introducing the Binney Collection San Diego Museum of Art , 11/23/1991 - 1/26/1992

Power & Desire: South Asian Paintings from the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art , 4/29/2000 - 10/5/2003

Domains of Wonder: Selected Masterworks of Indian Painting San Diego Museum of Art , 10/22/2005 - 1/27/2008

Visible Vaults The San Diego Museum of Art , 11/12/2016 - 00/00/00

Bibliography

This object has the following bibliographic references:

Mr. Stuart Cary Welch. A Flower from Every Meadow: Asia House Gallery. New York, New York, 1973
Page Number: 13

Mr. Stuart Cary Welch and Mark Zebrowski. A Flower from Every Meadow: Asia House Gallery. New York, New York, 1973
Page Number: 65, Figure Number: 33

Dr. Caron Smith. Arts of Asia Arts of Asia Publications Ltd. Hong Kong, September 2000-October 2000
Page Number: 97, 98, Figure Number: 18

Power and Desire: Hong Kong Museum of Art. 2001
Page Number: cat. no. 50, Figure Number: 50

Roselyne Hurel. Pouvoir et Désir: Miniatures Indiennes, Collection Edwin Binney 3rd du San Diego Museum of Art Paris musées/Éditions Findakly. Paris/Suilly-la-Tour, France, 2002
Page Number: 127, 130, 131, 151, Figure Number: 49

Dr. Caron Smith. San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2003
Page Number: 79, Figure Number: 79

Brijinder Nath Goswamy and Dr. Caron Smith. Domains of Wonder: San Diego Museum of Art. San Diego, California, 2005
Page Number: 206, 207, Figure Number: 85

Ms. Sophie Curtil and Mr. Milos Cvach. l'Art par 1001 mains Éditions Milan . Toulouse, France, 2008
Page Number: 35, 132, Figure Number: 35

Brijinder Nath Goswamy. The Spirit of Indian Painting: Close Encounters with 101 Great Works 1100 - 1900 Allen Lane by Penguin Books . India, 2014
Page Number: 192-195, Figure Number: pg. 192, detail 194

Thomas W. Lentz, Jr.. Edwin Binney, 3rd (1925-1986) Marg . Mumbai, 1986
Page Number: 40, 41, 50, Figure Number: 9

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