Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a watercolor painting. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
A boar-headed Vishnu hurtles across the sky on Garuda, his thrown discus still spinning after beheading a demon general. This page from around 1800, in ink and opaque watercolor from the Guler workshop of the Punjab Hills, shows the god's third avatar at the height of battle. An inscription names the demon Banasur, though the slain figure is probably someone else.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts a Hindu mythological battle scene centered on the god Vishnu, accompanied by chariots, elephants, horses, and mythical creatures.
The painting depicts a Hindu mythological battle scene centered on the god Vishnu, accompanied by chariots, elephants, horses, and mythical creatures. This subject, drawn from the mythology genre, represents a narrative from Hindu tradition, likely symbolic of the eternal conflict between good and evil with Vishnu as the divine protector. The iconography, including the war chariot and animals, reflects standard visual motifs in Indian epic art, reinforcing the work's meaning as a depiction of cosmic order preserved through divine action.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, measuring 31.8 × 24.1 cm. Dating to 1800 and made in India, it belongs to the mythological genre, depicting a Hindu battle scene featuring Vishnu, chariots, elephants, horses, and mythical creatures. The use of opaque watercolor (gouache) suggests a vibrant, opaque finish characteristic of Indian miniature painting traditions, with a layered composition that conveys narrative and dynamic movement.
Overview
This untitled folio, executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper around 1800, originates from an unidentified manuscript crafted in Guler, a significant center in the Punjab Hills of northern India. It illustrates a dramatic moment featuring Varaha, the boar-headed incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu, engaged in a celestial battle. The artwork exemplifies the distinctive artistic synthesis characteristic of the Guler school, known for its refined Pahari style.
History & Provenance
The artwork became part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in 1974. It was acquired through a generous gift from Jeffrey Paley and is officially cataloged under the accession number 1974.221. Its precise origin within a larger manuscript remains unknown, adding to the mystery of its specific narrative context.
Artist & collection
- Indrajit, Rama and Lakshmana
Goddesses and Demons Approaching Combat
Equestrian portrait with angels
Krishna vanquishing King Bana, from an Usha-Aniruddha
Rao Chhattar Sal
Sindhu Raga
Battle between Lava and Rama's brother, Shatrughna, near the hermitage of Valmiki
Untitled
Krishna Vanquishing Vanasura: Scene from the Aniruddha Usha Section of Krishna Lila
Bairam Khan is Assassinated by an Afghan at Patan
Maharana Bhim Singh in Procession
Maharana Bhim Singh in Procession
