Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a distemper painting. It dates from 1749 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 31.128.2
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Robert W. de Forest, 1931
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the divine figure as the primary iconographic focus, accompanied by the horse, which serves as a significant symbolic element.
Created in 1749 by an anonymous artist, this distemper-on-cloth painting centers on a religious subject depicting a deity mounted on a horse. The composition presents the divine figure as the primary iconographic focus, accompanied by the horse, which serves as a significant symbolic element. The specific identity of the deity is not recorded, but the work's classification as a religious painting indicates that the imagery functions to represent spiritual themes or a mythological narrative common to the period.
The visual arrangement of the god and the steed underscores the connection between the divine and the animal world, a recurring motif in religious art of the era.
Technique & Style
Created in 1749 by an anonymous artist, this religious painting uses distemper applied to a cloth support. The work measures 64.5 cm in height and 38.7 cm in width. Distemper on fabric involves opaque, water-soluble pigments bound with glue, a technique valued for its matte finish and rapid drying and well suited to textile grounds.
The composition focuses on its iconographic elements, depicting a deity accompanied by a horse. The piece is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The painting is dated to 1749 and attributed to an anonymous artist working within a religious genre that depicts a deity with a horse. It is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No documented commissioning patron or subsequent ownership transfers are noted in the available records.
Overview
This Untitled painting, rendered in distemper on cloth, originates from Tibet. It depicts a striking blue horse with a human face, shown in motion above snowy mountain peaks and through clouds. Likely created as a banner for religious display, the artwork's distinctive medium contributes to its unique visual texture and appearance.
Artist & collection
