Rama, Sita, and Laksmana in the Forest with the Golden Deer

Jamini Roy trained in western Academic painting modes and initially worked in a Post-Impressionist style. In the 1920's, he became inspired by the lines and palette of the paintings (patas) that sold in the bazaars outside of the Kalighat temples. He soon developed his unique style as an homage to the folk painters of his native Bengal with the notion of reviving indigenous painting traditions. Depicting the Puranic gods and epics, Roy's works were suffused with the lyric romanticism of his Bengali forbears. This painting is an early example of Roy's experimentation in this genre.