Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1870 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Hindu deity Shiva reclining on a corpse, a composition rooted in eschatological symbolism within Shaiva traditions.
The painting depicts the Hindu deity Shiva reclining on a corpse, a composition rooted in eschatological symbolism within Shaiva traditions. The corpse serves as a funerary bier, underscoring themes of mortality, transcendence, and the dissolution of the physical form. Shiva’s prone posture and the presence of the corpse align with depictions of the god in yogic repose, emphasizing his mastery over death and the cycle of rebirth.
The use of silver paint and opaque watercolor heightens the work’s ritualistic and devotional character, situating it within the broader corpus of late 19th-century Indian religious art. The iconography evokes the Hindu concept of mahapralaya, where Shiva presides over the dissolution of the universe, reinforcing the painting’s spiritual and symbolic resonance.
Technique & Style
Executed on paper, this 1870 work employs a combination of ink, opaque watercolor, and silver paint. The mixed-media handling allows for layered tonal effects, with the silver paint likely contributing metallic highlights characteristic of devotional imagery. The sheet measures 45.7 cm in height by 27.9 cm in width, a vertical format suited to its religious subject matter depicting Shiva and a corpse.
The use of opaque watercolor alongside ink suggests a traditional South Asian painting technique, while the incorporation of silver paint indicates a deliberate concern with luminosity and surface richness. The support of paper is consistent with works of this period and region.
History & Provenance
Created in 1870 in India, this ink, opaque watercolor, and silver paint work on paper was produced by an anonymous artist. The piece, which depicts the deity Shiva alongside a corpse, is currently held 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, the work's inception is firmly dated to the year 1870. It is classified as a religious painting within the museum's holdings.
Untitled, dated 1870, is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is part of the museum's collection of paintings. The work, executed in ink, opaque watercolor, and silver paint on paper, measures 45.7 × 27.9 cm and was created in India. The cataloging records do not include an explicit inventory or accession number for the piece.
Exhibition history is not documented in the available sources, and the work is classified as a religious painting depicting Shiva with a corpse.
Overview
This untitled painting, rendered in ink, opaque watercolor, and silver paint on paper, depicts a woman seated cross-legged, cradling a small, blue-gray figure in her lap. The figure, identifiable as the Hindu deity Shiva, is portrayed in a lifeless state, a striking departure from his usual powerful representations.
Artist & collection
