Female celestials, from the Cambodian or Thai version of the Ramayana (Epic of Rama)

Who are these two female figures in their elaborate costumes and headdresses? We don't know exactly. They could be unidentified characters from the legends of Rama, or perhaps dancers. Or, because the position of their legs suggests, in the artistic conventions of Southeast Asia, that they are flying, they may be among the celestial women who were thought to hover in the skies.

The painting comes from a series representing characters from the Cambodian and Thai versions of the Ramayana, the great ancient epic about the life of Prince Rama. There are numerous retellings of this Sanskrit tale in most Southeast Asian languages.

Also a bit of a mystery is the original purpose of this painting. Paintings of this large size, painted on cloth stretched over a frame like a Western oil painting, are rare. Conceivably, this set was part of the decoration of a theater.