Mural Paintings Depicting Ramayana

Keywords : Wat Phra Sri Rattanasatsadaram, Wat Phra Kaew, Mural Paintings Depicting, Phra Ubosot Wat Phra Sri Rattanasatsadaram, Ramayana,

Artwork alternative name	Mural Paintings in the galleries of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Site common name	Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram
Site alternative name	Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Type of artwork	Painting
Sub district	Phra Borom Maha Ratchawang
District	Khet Phra Nakhon
Province	Bangkok
Region	Central
Country	Thailand
Geographic Coordinates Decimal degree	Lat : 13.751874 Long : 100.493085
Geographic Coordinates UTM	Zone : 47 P Hemisphere : N E : 661427.94 N : 1520784.7
Place of artwork	At the walls of the galleries

History of production	It is said that the mural paintings depicting Rammakian were done during the foundation of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the reign of King Rama I, but they had been conserved later on.
Production process	Tempera paintings
Conservation	The Rammakian mural paintings had been conserved in several reigns, especially in the reign of King Rama V. The King had the paintings restored on the occasion of the centennial celebration of Rattanakosin. In the reign of King Rama VII, the paintings were conserved on the occasion of the City’s sesquicentennial celebration, and in the reign of King Bhumibol for the bicentennial celebration of Rattanakosin. Moreover, King Rama IX had the paintings conserved for special occasions throughout his reign.
Size	178 mural panels
Art	The mural paintings show a combination of traditional and modern painting techniques as follows: the traditional painting techniques are demonstrated through the main characters’ dresses are similar to those in the Masked dance drama, they are showing the same dance movements, and the characters’ adornments are gilded. The modern painting techniques include the use of horizon lines and perspective, imitation of real buildings such as palaces in the Grand Palace, and depiction of real landscapes. In addition, the paintings also show ways of life of people in the Thai Royal Court and ordinary Thai people and humor through the supporting characters. There are 178 painting panels in total; and each painting comes with verse of Ramayana poetry on the lower part of the panels, 224 verses in total.
Key academic information	The mural paintings in the galleries of the ordination hall at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha depict Ramayana or Rammakian in Thai version which was prominent literature of the Rattanakosin period; since it was King Rama I’s literary work. Although Rammakian is a story of an avatar of Viṣṇu, a Hindu god; the story emphasizes power and puissance of Phra Ram (Rama). The concept is comparable to the belief that Thai kings are also the incarnatio of Viṣṇu. The illustration of Ramayana here is thus related to a tribute to the Kings and their victory over evil. The mural paintings protray Rammakian, as this temple is important to the Thai Royal Court and Rammakian was supervised and written by King Rama I. This is hence a difference from Buddhist mural painting in other temples. Also, the walls of the galleries are large enough for illustrating the whole story of Rammakian. The paintings feature a combination of traditional Thai paintings and some modern painting techniques. It is noticeable that architecture in the paintings replicate palaces and main buildings in Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram and the Grand Palace.
Art period	Rattanakosin
Age	25th-26th Buddhist centuries
Religion and belief	Traditions in the Thai Royal Court, Brahmanism
Legend	Ramayana
Related artwork	The bas-reliefs depicting Rammakian at Wat Phrachetuphon Wimonmangkhararam, the mural painting at the four-directional Vihāras, Mandapa or Mondop at Wat Phrachetuphon Wimonmangkhararam.

Type of License	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
Rights	Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre
Date of record creation	2016-06-15
Record creator	Patsaweesiri Premkulanan
Bibliography	กรมศิลปากร. จดหมายเหตุการบูรณะปฏิสังขรณ์วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดารามและพระบรมมหาราชวัง ในการฉลองพระนครครบ 200 ปี พุทธศักราช 2525 : ภาคที่ 1 วัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม. กรุงเทพฯ : กรมศิลปากร, 2525. จิตรกรรมฝาผนังเรื่องรามเกียรติ์รอบพระระเบียงวัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม. กรุงเทพฯ : สำนักงานสลากกินแบ่งรัฐบาล, 2538. มลฤดี สายสิงห์. รายงานวิจัยเรื่องบทบาทของรามเกียรติ์ในงานจิตรกรรมฝาผนังสมัยรัตนโกสินทร์ตอนต้น. กรุงเทพฯ : มหาวิทยาลัยศิลปากร, 2550. สุภัทรดิศ ดิศกุล, หม่อมเจ้า. ประวัติวัดพระศรีรัตนศาสดาราม. กรุงเทพฯ : สำนักพระราชวัง, 2534.