Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a gold painting. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 64.167.12
- Credit line
- Gift of Adele Simpson, 1964
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is executed in colors and gold on paper, a traditional combination associated with Indian manuscript and devotional painting practices.
The work is executed in colors and gold on paper, a traditional combination associated with Indian manuscript and devotional painting practices. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds the piece, catalogued as a painting, with measured dimensions of approximately 24.4 by 18.1 centimeters. Its modest scale and the use of gold on paper support suggest a finely handled, intimate format rather than a large mural-scale composition.
The subject matter, encompassing Krishna, a dance, a musician, a musical instrument, and a woman, is rendered through this pigment-and-gold technique on a paper ground. The anonymous production and the materials indicate a workshop-based handling consistent with regional Indian painting traditions of the period.
History & Provenance
The work, attributed to an anonymous painter, was created in India in 1900, executed in colors and gold on paper. It subsequently entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No information regarding an earlier ownership chain, commission, or intermediate provenance prior to its acquisition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art is documented in the available sources.
The painting titled Untitled, created around 1900 by an anonymous artist, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the specific accession number is not provided in the available records, the work is cataloged within the museum's holdings of Indian paintings. The piece, executed in colors and gold on paper, measures 24.4 cm in height and 18.1 cm in width.
It depicts figures including Krishna, musicians, and a woman engaged in dance with musical instruments. No specific exhibition history or provenance details regarding prior ownership or public display dates are documented in the provided sources.
Overview
This untitled Indian painting, rendered with colors and gold on paper, depicts a central female figure playing a stringed instrument. She is surrounded by other individuals engaged in dance, creating a dynamic and celebratory scene. The entire composition is set against a luminous background of gold leaf, which imparts a radiant quality to the artwork. This piece exemplifies traditional painting practices from the Indian subcontinent.
Context
Originating from India, this painting was likely commissioned for a domestic setting or a place of worship. While the specific narrative remains unstated, the depiction of music and dance often relates to devotional themes in Indian art, particularly those associated with deities like Krishna. Such works were intended to evoke spiritual contemplation or illustrate sacred stories within their intended viewing spaces.
Artist & collection
- Untitled
Untitled
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Rama and Lakshmana Fighting Ravana, from a Dashavatara (Ten Incarnations [of Vishnu]) series
Untitled
A Musical Mode: Abundant Clouds, A Joyful Celebration of the Rains to Come
Meghmallar Raga
