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
These elements together constitute a narrative scene typical of Buddhist religious art, suggesting a spiritual context within the composition.
The work, dated 1849 and classified as a religious painting, portrays Buddhist iconography that includes the figure of Buddha, a monk, an unidentified man, and a boat. These elements together constitute a narrative scene typical of Buddhist religious art, suggesting a spiritual context within the composition. The depiction reflects the artistic conventions of the period, where such symbolic figures were employed to convey doctrinal themes and devotional narratives within the broader visual composition.
Technique & Style
The painting Untitled, dated 1849 and housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a religious work rendered in distemper on cloth. Its support is a textile substrate, and the composition depicts a Buddha figure accompanied by a monk, a man, and a boat, characteristic of Buddhist iconography. Executed in the mid‑nineteenth century, the work measures approximately 99.1 cm in height by 73.7 cm in width. The piece is classified as a painting within the museum’s collection.
History & Provenance
Untitled, a religious painting dated 1849, was executed in distemper on cloth by an anonymous artist. The work portrays a Buddha figure alongside a monk, a man, and a boat. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection in 1971 as accession number 1971.24.1, where it remains on view.
No documentation indicates a specific commission or patron; the piece was likely produced for private or devotional use before its acquisition by the museum. Its dimensions measure 99.1 cm in height and 73.7 cm in width. Its provenance thus traces from its creation in 1849 to its acquisition by the MET in 1971.
The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is located. It carries the accession number 1971.24.1. While the piece dates to 1849 and depicts religious subjects including Buddha and a boat, the available records do not list specific past exhibitions or additional inventory details beyond its current museum holding and classification as a painting.
Overview
This untitled painting, rendered in distemper on cloth, presents a long, narrow scroll format. It features numerous small figures dressed in red robes, with a prominent golden Buddha centrally positioned. Tiny boats navigating a river are also depicted, contributing to the overall composition of this Tibetan artwork.
Artist & collection
Lake Lucerne
View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm—The Oxbow
New York Harbor with Pilot Boat "George Washington"
Marine Landscape
Threatening Sky, Bay of New York
Lake George and the Village of Caldwell
Rio de Janeiro Bay
Packet Ship Passing Castle Williams, New York Harbor