Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting by the Mughal Painting artist Sa Nana. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1972.238
- Credit line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin N. Haas, 1972
About this work
A line of men, donkeys, and elephants moves across pale paper, the ink dark and quick, as if drawn in one breath. Sa Nana made it in northern India around 1525. It shows Krishna, the Hindu god, but the scene feels everyday: no halos, no drama, just a quiet moment.
Subject & Meaning
The male figure may represent a devotee or a pastoral companion, reinforcing the devotional context.
The painting depicts Krishna alongside a donkey, an elephant, and a male figure, aligning with Sa Nana's 1525 work in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection. Krishna, a central Hindu deity, is often portrayed in scenes of pastoral life or divine play, while the presence of animals suggests themes of harmony or a specific narrative moment. The male figure may represent a devotee or a pastoral companion, reinforcing the devotional context.
These elements collectively point to a religious subject, likely illustrating a moment from Krishna's life or teachings, embedded within the iconographic traditions of 16th-century Indian painting.
Technique & Style
Created in 1525 in India, this religious painting by Sa Nana utilizes ink and opaque watercolor applied to a paper support. The work depicts a scene featuring Krishna alongside a man, a donkey, and an elephant. As a piece classified within the paintings genre, its formal qualities are defined by the specific application of these pigments on paper, a medium typical for the region and period.
The composition integrates these figures into a cohesive religious narrative, relying on the opacity of the watercolor to establish form and detail against the paper ground.
History & Provenance
Created in 1525 in India, this ink and opaque watercolor on paper was executed by the artist Sa Nana. The work, which depicts religious subjects including Krishna alongside a donkey, elephant, and a man, currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not delineated in the available records, the piece is firmly attributed to the sixteenth century based on its inception date.
The sources confirm its location at the Metropolitan Museum of Art but do not provide a specific inventory or accession number. While the piece is identified as an ink and opaque watercolor painting on paper depicting religious figures including Krishna, no records within the provided materials detail any past or current exhibition history for this specific artwork.
Overview
This untitled work by Sa Nana, created around 1525 in northern India, is an ink and opaque watercolor painting on paper. It presents a religious scene featuring the Hindu deity Krishna alongside a donkey and an elephant. The artwork offers a glimpse into a specific moment, rendered with a directness that characterizes its visual approach.
Artist & collection
Artist
Sa Nana painted in ink and watercolor on paper in 16th-century India. The untitled drawing from about 1520-30 shows flowing lines and soft color washes, its style sitting between earlier Rajput traditions and the Mughal…
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The Marriage of Pradyumna and Rukmavati, page from a Bhagavata Purana
Untitled
Akrura Drives Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, from the “Isarda Bhagavata Purana”
