Artwork
Untitled

Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1775 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A blue god with a peacock feather in his hair stands on a boat under a night sky. Around him, men and women in bright clothes play music and dance, and a palace glows on the riverbank. Made in India around 1775, the figure is Krishna, drawn in thin lines and soft colors that suggest movement and light.
Subject & Meaning
The work’s iconography reflects Nepalese artistic conventions of the period, emphasizing narrative clarity and divine presence.
The painting depicts a scene from Hindu mythology centered on the god Krishna. The composition shows Krishna in a boat with a man and a woman, while a palace appears in the background. The presence of the boat and palace suggests a narrative moment, likely a divine intervention or journey.
The inclusion of these figures and settings aligns with traditional representations of Krishna’s mythological exploits, where he often appears in interactions involving devotees or miraculous events. The work’s iconography reflects Nepalese artistic conventions of the period, emphasizing narrative clarity and divine presence.
Technique & Style
Created in 1775 in Nepal, this anonymous work is executed in ink and color on paper. The piece measures 31.1 cm in height and 47.3 cm in width, presenting a two-dimensional painted surface classified within the genre of mythology. Stylistically, the composition depicts a narrative scene featuring the deity Krishna alongside a man, a woman, a boat, and a palace.
The handling of the medium involves traditional applications of ink and pigment to render these figures and architectural elements on the paper support. The artwork is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is cataloged as a painting.
History & Provenance
The painting is dated to 1775 and was made in Nepal by an anonymous artist using ink and color on paper. It is presently in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is housed; no earlier ownership records or commission details are documented in the available sources.
Untitled, a 1775 ink and color on paper painting depicting Krishna, a boat, a man, a palace, and a woman, is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is part of the museum’s collection of paintings, though no specific accession or inventory number is recorded in the available references. Its physical dimensions measure 31.1 cm × 47.3 cm. The painting’s provenance is limited to its inclusion in the museum’s catalog, and no exhibition history is documented in the sources consulted.
Overview
This untitled painting, created in India around 1775, utilizes ink and color on paper. It portrays the Hindu deity Krishna, identifiable by his blue skin and peacock feather, standing aboard a boat. Surrounding him, figures engage in music and dance under a night sky, while a palace glows on the distant riverbank, suggesting a festive nocturnal scene.
Context
The depiction of Krishna as the central subject places this work within a long-standing tradition of Indian art. Krishna, a prominent deity in Hinduism, has consistently been a favored figure for artists across different regions and eras, inspiring countless visual narratives that explore his divine exploits, playful nature, and romantic tales, often rendered with diverse stylistic interpretations.
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