Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1149 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The combination of these attributes suggests a representation of a deity associated with martial prowess or dynamic movement within a devotional context.
Created in 1149 in India, this religious painting on palm leaf depicts a goddess engaged in dance while holding a bow and arrow. As a work of religious art by an anonymous creator, the imagery centers on these specific iconographic elements: the divine female figure, the act of dancing, and the weapons of the bow and arrow. The combination of these attributes suggests a representation of a deity associated with martial prowess or dynamic movement within a devotional context.
The inclusion of the bow and arrow alongside the goddess and dance indicates a symbolic narrative focused on divine action or ritual performance, characteristic of the genre's spiritual themes.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in ink and color on a palm leaf support, a technique characteristic of Indian manuscript painting of the mid‑12th century. It was created in India around 1149 and is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. The painting is attributed to an anonymous artist and falls within the religious genre, portraying a bow and arrow, a dance, and a goddess.
Its composition relies on symbolic iconography and a restrained palette of saturated pigments, reflecting a ritualistic visual language typical of the period.
History & Provenance
The work titled Untitled is a religious painting executed in ink and color on a palm leaf in 1149 in India, attributed to an anonymous painter. Its iconography includes a bow and arrow, a dance, and a goddess, motifs documented in the Wikidata entry for the piece. The painting is classified as a work of art within the Paintings genre and has been part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection since its acquisition, though specific acquisition details and prior owners are not recorded.
The dating of 1149‑01‑01 is recorded in the museum’s metadata, and the work remains under the museum’s stewardship as of the latest catalogue information.
The painting Untitled, dated 1149, is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The work is catalogued as a religious painting executed in ink and color on palm leaf, attributed to an anonymous Indian painter. No accession number is provided in the available documentation, and the sources do not record any exhibition history for this piece.
The composition includes motifs of a bow and arrow, a dance, and a goddess, aligning with its classification as religious art.
Overview
This untitled painting, created in India approximately eight centuries ago, depicts a dynamic figure on a slender palm leaf. Executed with ink and vibrant colors, the artwork offers a glimpse into the visual culture of its time. It likely once formed part of a larger manuscript, contributing to a narrative or devotional text.
Artist & collection
