Artwork
Book of Iconography
Book of Iconography is an unspecified painting by Unknown. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work titled *Book of Iconography* is a painted panel that portrays an elephant bearing a rider, accompanied by additional figures. The elephant is rendered in a deep black hue, draped with a multicolored blanket, while the rider is clothed in a white robe topped by a red turban. Peripheral sketches of horses and assorted objects frame the central scene.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif of an elephant with a mounted figure reflects a traditional Indian visual vocabulary, where such animals often symbolize power, ceremonial procession, or mythic narrative. The inclusion of surrounding sketches suggests a broader compendium of iconographic elements, perhaps intended as a reference guide for artists or scholars.
Technique & Style
Executed in a style characteristic of historic Indian painting, the piece employs bold, saturated pigments and intricate detailing. The surface shows signs of age, including a yellowed ground layer and fine cracking, indicating an early medium such as tempera or natural pigment on a prepared board.
History & Provenance
The artist of the panel remains unidentified, and the work’s provenance is not documented beyond its current classification as an anonymous example of Indian iconographic art. Its material condition points to considerable antiquity, though precise dating has not been established.
Context
Within the broader tradition of Indian manuscript and panel painting, depictions of elephants and attendant figures were common in courtly and religious contexts. The surrounding marginal sketches align with the practice of compiling visual encyclopedias that cataloged animals, vehicles, and symbolic objects for instructional purposes.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
