Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1616 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 1999.148
- Credit line
- Friends of Asian Art, Purchase, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Saul Gift, 1999
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition, rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper in 1616, shows these three elements together without further narrative detail.
The painting presents a male figure accompanied by a musical instrument and a female figure, as documented in the work's cataloguing. The composition, rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper in 1616, shows these three elements together without further narrative detail. The figures are recorded as the sole identified subjects, and no additional symbolic interpretation is provided in the source material.
The work is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is classified as a genre scene painted in India.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1616, this anonymous Indian painting employs ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, a combination characteristic of Mughal-era manuscript and album production. The work measures 24.9 cm in height by 20 cm in width, a modest, intimate scale suited to its genre-scene subject matter depicting a man, a woman, and a musical instrument. The use of gold alongside opaque watercolor suggests refined surface treatment, while ink provided the linear underdrawing and contour definition. No additional information regarding specific stylistic attribution is available in the consulted sources.
History & Provenance
Created in India in 1616, this ink, opaque watercolor, and gold work on paper is attributed to an anonymous artist. The piece, which depicts a genre scene featuring a man, a woman, and a musical instrument, currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the full chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not detailed in the available records, its inception date and place of origin are established as early seventeenth-century India.
Context
The painting Untitled, dated 1616, is recorded as an ink, opaque watercolor, and gold work on paper classified as a genre scene. It portrays a man with a musical instrument alongside a woman and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, having been made in India. Scholarly attention focuses on its anonymous authorship and its significance as an early seventeenth-century example of Indian painting within the broader corpus of genre subjects.
The work's material technique, iconography, and provenance contribute to discussions of artistic exchange in the period, situating it within the historical development of painted genre scenes.
Overview
This untitled painting, created in Rajasthan, India, during the early 17th century, features a vibrant nocturnal scene. Executed with ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper, it depicts a gathering of men and women engaged in dance and music. The artwork's rich colors, including reds, blues, and gold, stand out against a dark background, characteristic of courtly styles from the region.
Artist & collection
