Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a charcoal painting. It dates from 1780 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The scene emphasizes her martial role as a protector who subdues evil forces, with the lion serving as her vehicle and emblem of royal power.
The work depicts the Hindu goddess Durga mounted on a lion, confronting an army of demons. The scene emphasizes her martial role as a protector who subdues evil forces, with the lion serving as her vehicle and emblem of royal power. The demonic host is shown in conflict with her forces, underscoring her role as a divine warrior who restores cosmic order.
The inclusion of a horse among the adversaries suggests the breadth of her adversaries’ ranks. Together these elements signify Durga’s victory over chaos and the triumph of righteousness in Hindu iconography.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in charcoal and ocher on paper, a mixed-media technique that combines drawing with pigment washes. The paper support bears a religious scene depicting the Hindu goddess Durga accompanied by an army, a demon, a horse and a lion, rendered in a modest scale of approximately 14 cm high by 19.4 cm wide. Dated to 1780 and originating in India, the piece is held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While the sources describe the medium, support, subject matter and dimensions, they do not provide information on the artwork’s handling specifics, condition or broader stylistic attributes beyond its iconography.
History & Provenance
The work titled Untitled is dated to 1780 and was produced in India using charcoal and ocher on paper. It belongs to the religious genre and portrays the Hindu goddess Durga surrounded by an army, a demon, a horse and a lion. The painting is classified as a work of the Paintings collection and is presently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which records it as an anonymous piece from the late 18th century.
No documentation of a specific commission or subsequent ownership transfers prior to its acquisition by the museum has been identified in the available records.
The work titled Untitled, dated 1780 and executed in charcoal and ocher on paper, belongs to the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The catalog entry classifies it as a painting in the religious genre, portraying the Hindu goddess Durga engaged in battle with a demon, accompanied by a horse and a lion. According to the record, the dimensions measure 14 cm by 19.4 cm and the piece was produced in India. The available documentation does not include an accession number or details of any exhibition history.
Legacy
The work Untitled (1780), attributed to an anonymous Indian painter, is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies early modern depictions of the Hindu goddess Durga. Its charcoal and ocher technique illustrates experimentation with mixed media that predates colonial artistic influences. Scholars cite the piece when analyzing the visual language of Durga’s combat scenes, noting its role in shaping later artistic representations of the deity.
The painting’s dating and provenance highlight its significance within 18th‑century Indian religious art, contributing to its enduring reputation as a reference point for subsequent portrayals of Durga.
Overview
This untitled drawing, rendered in charcoal and ocher on paper, depicts a dynamic scene of a lion leaping over a chaotic pile of figures. Executed with swift, dark lines, the work conveys intense motion and conflict. It is believed to be a preparatory sketch for a larger painting, possibly illustrating a narrative involving the Hindu warrior goddess Durga.
Artist & collection
