Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting by the Baroque artist Mohamed. It dates from 1714 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1980.526.2
- Credit line
- Gift of John and Evelyn Kossak, The Kronos Collections, 1980
About this work
A crowded battle: riders swing swords, bodies twist on the ground, and dust swirls in the air. Made in India around 1714, signed only 'Mohamed' in a corner. The fine details, light glowing on a horse's flank and the pattern on a soldier's robe, show the care in every inch.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a dramatic battle moment centered on a horse-mounted warrior brandishing a sword. The composition includes a fallen figure, suggesting death amid the clash, and emphasizes equestrian action as a focal point. These elements together evoke themes of martial valor, the violence of conflict, and the inevitability of mortality within a historical narrative context.
Technique & Style
The execution employs ink outlines filled with opaque watercolor washes, a technique characteristic of Indian artistic practice of the period.
The work is a painting in the history painting genre, rendered in ink and opaque watercolor on paper. Its subject includes a battle, death, equestrianism, a horse, a man, and a sword, as documented in the catalog entries. The execution employs ink outlines filled with opaque watercolor washes, a technique characteristic of Indian artistic practice of the period.
Measured at 15.2 cm in height and 12.1 cm in width, the piece fits within the typical scale of Indian paintings of the era.
History & Provenance
The artwork titled Untitled was created in 1714 by the artist Mohamed in India. Executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, the piece depicts a historical scene involving battle, death, and equestrianism. While the specific commission details and initial ownership chain are not documented in the available records, the work is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting measures 15.2 centimetres in height and 12.1 centimetres in width. Its creation date is recorded as 1714, situating it within the early eighteenth-century Indian artistic tradition. The work remains attributed to Mohamed and is classified as a history painting.
Overview
This untitled painting, executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, depicts a tumultuous battle. Created in India around 1714, the artwork captures a moment of intense conflict with numerous figures engaged in combat. Despite the artist's identity remaining largely unknown, the piece showcases a dynamic composition filled with action and intricate details, characteristic of historical narrative painting from the period.
Artist & collection
