Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a distemper painting. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work is a religious painting that depicts a Bodhisattva and the Buddha. Created in 1849 by an anonymous artist, the piece utilizes these figures to convey its spiritual subject matter within the genre of religious art. The iconography focuses on these two central Buddhist entities, representing core elements of Buddhist devotion and theology.
Technique & Style
The composition reflects traditional Buddhist iconography, employing a flat, devotional aesthetic typical of the period.
Untitled is a 19th-century religious painting executed in distemper on cloth support. The work, dated 1849, measures 99.1 cm in height by 73.7 cm in width and portrays a Bodhisattva alongside Buddha. It belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection (accession 1971.26.2) and is classified within the genre of paintings.
The composition reflects traditional Buddhist iconography, employing a flat, devotional aesthetic typical of the period. As an anonymous piece, it is recorded as a painting by an unidentified artist.
History & Provenance
The painting, executed in distemper on cloth, dates to 1849. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued as MET 1971.26.2. No further details regarding its commission, earlier ownership, or chain of custody are documented in the available sources.
The painting is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is recorded under the accession number MET 1971.26.2. The work entered the museum's holdings as part of its paintings collection and remains associated with that institution as its location of display and storage.
No exhibition history beyond its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection is documented in the available sources.
Overview
This Untitled painting, rendered in distemper on cloth, depicts a serene row of golden Buddhas and bodhisattvas. Seated on clouds with hands in gentle gestures, the figures convey a sense of tranquility. Originally intended for a Tibetan monastery, likely positioned above a doorway, the artwork now shows signs of age, with its fabric worn and colors softened to delicate pinks and blues.
Artist & collection
