Beautiful Sita encounters a golden deer, but as the Ramayana will tell, this deer is a foe. Wayan Rendah transfers this scene of intrigue to create this most mesmerizing jewelry box. The piece is hand-carved with sublime detail from crocodile wood, which lends its white grain to enhance the ephemeral allure of composition. Rendah then embellishes the piece with oil paints and gold leaf accents. In the Ramayana, Rama was sent into exile to live in a forest, and his wife Sita followed him. Meanwhile, Rahwana the evil king of Alengka, was enchanted by the beauty of Sita, and wanted to have her as his concubine. He sent one of his most trusted knights, Marica, to tempt Sita by transforming himself into a golden deer. Sita was taken by her curiosity and asked Rama to catch the golden deer. Rama marked a magic circle in the ground for protection, warning Sita to stay within it while he was away looking for the deer. Rahwana then appeared in the form of an old beggar enticing Sita to leave the circle, and the evil king promptly kidnapped her. Many subsequent chapters in the Ramayana tell of Rama's adventures as he tries to rescue his wife.
