Attached is a large copper repousse mural, displaying a gathering of what seems to be a king and his court. The work is obviously Asian, exquisitely detailed, likely Hindu, and seems very old. The frame displays motifs of flora and fauna, and the main scene shows a gathering of 16 characters, of which 4 are monkey figures- perhaps gods. I believe it to be either Indian or Indonesian. Please help me Identify its origin, age, use, and the scene depicted. Thanks!
The lions in the bottom corners look Sri Lankan in style. It may illustrate characters from the Ramayana, the great Hindu epic, as @flipper suggested. The central figures may be Rama and Sita, although the size difference seems a little unusual. Hanuman, the Monkey King is present, along with members of his army. @Any Jewelry may have more insight.
It is very nice, Earl. Studying Hindu iconography is like reading a phone book (way back when), so interpretation is always tricky. The crowns look southern Indian, so it could be Tamil from either India or Sri Lanka. Southern Indian depictions of lions look a bit like Sri Lankan. Agree, it is a God and his consort, they are often depicted in this way. Rama and Sita never are. The central figure is seated on a double lotus throne, which means he is a divinity. The God is holding a lotus, for spiritual purity. King Rama is generally depicted holding a bow, never a lotus. This doesn't look like the 'cast' of the Ramayana. Important characters are missing, and there are others who never appeared in the Ramayana. All look like divinities, with corresponding high crowns. I can see Narasimha (with lion's head) on the left, looking sideways. I am not sure Hanuman is present, I haven't recognized him in the crowd. At the back are two minor figures with animal faces, not sure which animals, but they look like attendants. With these particular divinities grouped together, I think it is Vishnu with Lakshmi on his lap, surrounded by some of his avatars. The accepted number of Vishnu's avatars can range from 10-39. One of Vishnu's names is Hari, which means monkey. The little monkey at his feet could be a reference to that.
