Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1461 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work consists of a diptych of paper panels rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold leaf.
- Accession no.
- 18.104.5
- Credit line
- Rogers Fund, 1918
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is executed in ink and opaque watercolor with gold on paper, a combination characteristic of South Asian manuscript and devotional painting traditions.
The work is executed in ink and opaque watercolor with gold on paper, a combination characteristic of South Asian manuscript and devotional painting traditions. Its modest dimensions, 11.1 by 25.7 centimeters, indicate a small-scale, finely handled format suited to intimate viewing.
The horizontal proportions suggest a narrative or compositional arrangement read sequentially from left to right, consistent with religious imagery of the period. The use of gold alongside opaque watercolor points to deliberate emphasis on sacred or ornamental elements, while ink was used for linework and detail.
History & Provenance
The work was created in 1461 in India using ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, and is classified as a religious work by an anonymous painter. It measures 11.1 cm in height and 25.7 cm in width and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains. No information is available regarding its commission, earlier ownership, or chain of custody prior to its accession by the museum.
Overview
The work consists of a diptych of paper panels rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold leaf. Each panel is organized into three horizontal registers populated by seated figures, all positioned cross‑legged and facing forward. Behind the figures rise stylized red temples capped with gold roofs and accented with blue trim, while an undeciphered script runs between the two panels.
Subject & Meaning
The recurring motif of meditative, cross‑legged figures suggests a narrative drawn from a religious or cultural manuscript, possibly illustrating a didactic scene or a devotional tableau. The presence of temple architecture and the enigmatic inscription indicate a connection to a textual source, inviting contemplation of spiritual practice or mythic storytelling.
Artist & collection
Vigil on the Sixth Night After Mahavira's Birth, Folio 33 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Untitled
Untitled
Untitled
The Fourteen Dreams of Queen Trishala, folio 14 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Queen Trishala's Grief and Happiness, Folio 29 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Transfer of the Embryo of Mahavira, Folio 12 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Parshva Undergoes Physical Trials, Folio 46 (recto), from a Kalpa-sutra
Untitled
Untitled