Presented by Professor of Art History Cathleen Cummings.
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic which follows Prince Rama’s quest to rescue his beloved wife Sita from the clutches of Ravana with the help of an army of monkeys. It is traditionally attributed to the authorship of the sage Valmiki and dated to around 500 BCE to 100 BCE.   Some of India’s earliest surviving Hindu temples feature scenes from the great Indian epic, the Ramayana, in the carved reliefs that adorn on their walls.  And the themes and characters of the epic remain just as relevant today, as the epic finds expression in contemporary art, film, television, dance, drama, and other art forms.  In this talk, UAB Art Historian Cathleen Cummings will consider the enduring influence of the Ramayana and its ongoing place in the visual arts of South and Southeast Asia.