Ramakien Mural Cycle — Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok (1784–1786)
Large-scale mural cycle depicting the Ramakien (the Thai version of the Indian epic Ramayana) on the interior gallery walls of Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), within the Grand Palace complex in Bangkok. Originally commissioned by King Rama I (r.1782-1809) during the construction of the temple complex (1784-1786). The murals cover approximately 1,900 square meters of wall space in 178 panels, depicting the complete narrative of the Ramakien from Phra Ram's (Rama's) birth to victory over Thotsakan (Ravana). The murals have been repeatedly restored through successive reigns — most recently in the 1980s-2000s — making the current state a palimpsest of Rattanakosin-period artistic production.
Scholarly Significance
Anchor the Thai royal Buddhist art tradition through the Ramakien mural cycle at Wat Phra Kaew — the canonical program of Thai royal cosmology and epic literature produced under Rama I.
Notes
- ·The Ramakien (from Sanskrit Rāmakīrti, 'glory of Rama') is the Thai national epic, adapted from the Indian Ramayana. The Wat Phra Kaew version represents King Rama I's own royal recension of the text.
- ·The mural cycle was damaged in the 1800s (Bangkok floods) and has been restored under Rama III, Rama V, Rama IX, and Rama X. Each restoration introduced contemporary artistic conventions, making the current murals a layered document of Rattanakosin-period art.
- ·Iconographic program: Panel 1 begins with the birth of Phra Ram (Rama); the cycle ends with his coronation and marriage to Nang Sida (Sita). Major scenes include the battle of Lanka, the army of monkey warriors, and Thotsakan (Ravana)'s death.
- ·The style is characteristic of Rattanakosin-period Thai painting: flat planes of color, hierarchical figure scaling (divine figures larger), decorative patterning, multilevel narrative registers.
- ·The murals are considered the canonical reference for the iconography of the Ramakien narrative in Thai art.