Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Chokha in ca. 1820.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Mughal Painting.

Untitled by Chokha (ca. 1820) · Meaning & Museum

Accession no.: 2003.375
Credit line: Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon B. Polsky Fund, 2003

About this work

In a rain-drenched Mewar landscape, Krishna stands on the left bank of a swirling river, watching Radha and her companions wade toward a hermit's cave on the far shore. Chokha painted the scene around 1820 in ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper, seen from above to take in a palace, bird-filled islands, and a sage on a tiger-skin rug. The Met acquired it in 2003.

Subject & Meaning

The presence of Radha signifies divine love, while the surrounding animals and river evoke the idyllic, harmonious environment central to Krishna's mythology.

The painting depicts the Hindu deities Krishna and Radha in a pastoral landscape that includes a river, birds, cattle, a horse, and a lion. This iconography draws on traditional depictions of Krishna's youth in Vrindavan, where he is often shown as a cowherd in a natural setting. The presence of Radha signifies divine love, while the surrounding animals and river evoke the idyllic, harmonious environment central to Krishna's mythology.

As a religious genre work, the subject and symbolism convey a devotional celebration of divine love and pastoral bliss.

Technique & Style

The work is executed on paper with a combination of ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold, materials that reflect the refined aesthetics of early 19th-century Indian court painting. The opaque watercolor allows for vibrant, dense color fields, while the metallic silver and gold add luminous highlights, particularly suited to the religious subject matter. The small scale (21 by 33.7 cm) suggests an intimate, devotional function.

The medium and support indicate a balanced integration of drawing and painting, with fine ink outlines defining forms and metallic accents creating visual distinction. The formal qualities are typical of the Mewar tradition, with flat planes of color, minimal shading, and a decorative, rhythmic composition.

History & Provenance

The painting is dated to 1820 and was created in India by the artist Chokha. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No commission or detailed provenance chain is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Chokha's "Untitled" painting, created around 1820, depicts a vibrant, rain-soaked landscape from a high vantage point. The work, rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, silver, and gold on paper, captures a moment where divine and human figures interact across a wide, swirling river. It exemplifies the refined artistic traditions of the Mewar court in Rajasthan during a period when royal patronage fostered detailed narrative and devotional art. This piece unites romantic and spiritual themes characteristic of early 19th-century Rajput painting.