Tiered Court Scene

Also known as: Tiered Court Scene

About the Artwork

Emperor Muhammad Shah rekindled an imperial interest in Hinduism that had not been so strong since the time of Akbar, 150 years before. He commissioned this painting that shows the acts of Rama, hero of a Hindu epic, who slays the demon of the golden city of Lanka at the top of the page. In the middle sections, various Hindu deities enjoy music, kite flying, and boating, while at the bottom the Krishna plays Holi with his lover Radha and other palace women. They shoot red-colored water at one another with plunger guns in celebration of the coming of spring.

Inscriptions

[[verso, in Persian]] bi-mowjib arza-dasht fadawi bi-hokm-i qadr-i tu'am huzur lami al-nur-i jinab-i aqdas Chitarman-i musawwar amal nimud; [[verso, seal]]

Provenance

?–1973: Michael and Georgia de Havenon, New York, NY, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art 1973–: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Exhibition history

Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016). Imagining Rama’s Journey. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (March 10-September 17, 2023).

Quick Overview

Artist: Chitarman II (Indian, c. 1680–с. 1750)
Date: c. 1735
Medium: Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions: Overall: 54.6 x 39 cm (21 1/2 x 15 3/8 in.); Painting: 40.1 x 29.1 cm (15 13/16 x 11 7/16 in.)
Type: Painting
Classification: Painting
Department: Indian and Southeast Asian Art
Credit line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Michael de Havenon
Accession no.: 1973.237

More by Chitarman II in museum collections

Lovers and beloveds: A composite of scenes from Persian, Urdu, and Sanskrit literature
Chitarman II
c. 1735 · Painting
Public collection via the Cleveland Museum of ArtAT-00009761

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.