Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work is an ink drawing enhanced with opaque watercolor on paper, depicting a seated figure in a white turban.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a man in a frontal pose, rendered in ink and opaque watercolor on paper. The subject’s direct gaze and simplified features align with portrait conventions of the period. The use of watercolor and the portrait genre suggest an emphasis on individual likeness and social identity within the cultural context of 19th-century India.
Technique & Style
The piece is classified within the museum's paintings collection, showcasing the specific material application characteristic of the region and period.
Created in 1874 in India, this portrait of a man is executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper. The work measures 15.9 cm in height by 22.5 cm in width. As an anonymous painting held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it utilizes a combination of fluid ink lines and opaque pigments to define the subject's features on a paper support.
The piece is classified within the museum's paintings collection, showcasing the specific material application characteristic of the region and period. No information regarding the object's current condition or specific handling history is provided in the available records.
History & Provenance
The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art with no documented prior provenance, and its attribution remains anonymous. It was created in 1874 in India using ink and opaque watercolor on paper. The painting depicts a man and is catalogued by the museum with dimensions of 15.9 cm in height and 22.5 cm in width.
Context
Untitled is an 1874 ink and opaque watercolor portrait of a man, classified as a portrait and held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. The work measures 15.9 cm in height and 22.5 cm in width and was produced in India. It is attributed to an anonymous painter, illustrating the role of unnamed artists in 19th‑century Indian visual culture. Its classification as a portrait situates it within the broader tradition of 19th‑century Indian portraiture.
Overview
The work is an ink drawing enhanced with opaque watercolor on paper, depicting a seated figure in a white turban. He rests on the floor, cradling a long pipe, his expression tranquil and eyes partially closed. The background is unadorned, while his garments are accented with minute gold flecks that mimic the sheen of embroidery.
Artist & collection
