Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a distemper painting. It dates from 1749 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work’s vertical format and modest scale suggest it was likely intended for private or temple devotional use rather than public ceremonial display.
The painting depicts the Hindu goddess Durga, a central figure in Nepalese religious art of the mid-eighteenth century. Rendered in distemper on wood, the composition aligns with contemporaneous Nepalese devotional imagery, emphasizing Durga’s iconic role as a protector and divine warrior. The work’s vertical format and modest scale suggest it was likely intended for private or temple devotional use rather than public ceremonial display.
Within Nepalese religious iconography, Durga is typically portrayed with multiple arms holding weapons and attributes, though this specific depiction’s abbreviated format may reflect regional or stylistic choices rather than a full iconographic program.
Technique & Style
Created in 1749, this anonymous Nepalese religious painting is executed in distemper on a wood support. The work depicts the goddess Durga and measures 11.4 cm in height by 36.8 cm in width. As a distemper on wood piece, it represents a specific regional tradition of painting from that period. The physical dimensions and material composition define its formal presence within the collection.
History & Provenance
The painting was produced in Nepal in 1749 using distemper on wood and remains unattributed to a known artist. It portrays the Hindu goddess Durga, a subject identified in the source material. The work measures 11.4 cm in height and 36.8 cm in width, reflecting its modest scale typical of devotional images from the period.
It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as part of the museum’s holdings of South Asian religious paintings. The exact circumstances of its acquisition are not detailed in the available records.
The work titled Untitled, dated 1749, is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Its dimensions are 11.4 cm in height and 36.8 cm in width, executed in distemper on wood and classified as a religious painting depicting the Hindu deity Durga. The piece is attributed to an anonymous painter and is part of the museum’s collection, though no specific accession or inventory number is recorded in the available documentation. Exhibition records for this artwork are not detailed in the sources consulted.
Overview
This untitled painting, executed in distemper on wood, originated in Nepal's Kathmandu Valley during the 1700s. It depicts a powerful eight-armed goddess, poised atop a lion, her expression a blend of serenity and intensity. The artwork's vibrant palette and distinct, flattened forms create a visually striking composition, characteristic of the region's artistic traditions from that period.
Artist & collection
- Untitled
Pair of Manuscript Covers with Twelve Durgas on Snow Lions Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini)
Untitled
Untitled
Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra"
Buddhist Panel
Untitled
Untitled
Tantric Manuscript "Sangrahani Sutra"
Painted Panel of Character "Whistle"
Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita-sutra)
Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines: Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita: Back Cover