Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in the Chitrakuta forest, folio from a Ramayana

Mewar school Amidst a series of colorful land fantastically imagined trees, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita wander along the banks of a lotus-strewn river. A pair of cranes and two deer, along with many ducks swimming in the river, emphasize the idyllic beauty of the forest. recto || rām || ayodhyā || 6 pache rām lakśman || gangā re tat || van dekhtā cālyā || Ram[ayana]. Ayodhya. 6 Behind Rama, Lakshmana. On the banks of the Ganges. Walking, they see the forest 2004 Sam Fogg, Ltd., London, purchased from unknown source in the United Kingdom [1] 2004-2018 Catherine Glynn Benkaim, purchased from Sam Fogg, Ltd. [2] From 2018 Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, purchase and partial gift from Catherine Glynn Benkaim [3] Notes: [1] The object was purchased by Sam Fogg “from [a] UK trade, 2004,” but was unable to provide provenance information prior to 2004. See email from Catherine de Meillac, Sam Fogg, Ltd., to Debra Diamond, Curator for South and Southeast Asian Art, November 28, 2017, copy in object file. Object is described as “Folio from a Ramayana – Lakshmana and Sita,” stock code 10321. Sam Fogg, Ltd., in London, England was established in 1986 and specializes in art of the European Middle Ages and has also held sales of Islamic, South Asian and Tibetan art. The gallery initially focused on books and manuscripts from the Middle Ages, but expanded to include panel paintings, sculpture, stained glass, textiles, and treasury objects from that period. The gallery has also exhibited at art fairs, including European Fine Art Foundation (TEFAF) New York, TEFAF Maastricht, Frieze Masters (London), and Masterpiece London. Clients include private collectors and institutions, such as museums and libraries. [2] See curatorial notes titled “Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita in the Chitrakuta forest, folio from a Ramayana,” dated May 2019, pp. 154-155, copy in object file. Catherine Glynn Benkaim is collector and scholar in the field of Indian painting. Ms. Benkaim met her husband, Ralph Benkaim (1914-2001), in the 1970s when she was the curator of Indian painting at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Ralph Benkaim was an entertainment lawyer from Los Angles who started collecting Indian and Islamic art in 1961. The couple were married 1979 and together they amassed a collection of Indian paintings, which included examples from all genres. They collected objects for their collection through dealers and auctions. Objects from their collection may also be found in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Williams College Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, among others. [3] See “Appendix B Bill of Sale” and “Appendix C Donor Substantiation Letter,” dated January 2, 2018, copy in object file. Research updated January 25, 2023 National Museum of Asian Art Collection A Splendid Land: Paintings from Royal Udaipur (November 19, 2022 to May 14, 2023) Vishnu: Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior (February 20 to October 2, 2011) Sam Fogg, Ltd. (established 1986) Catherine Glynn Benkaim