Untitled

This work is an ink and opaque watercolor on paper painting dated 1790, created in India by an anonymous artist. The work portrays a dove, a smoking scene, and a woman, and is classified as a genre scene. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, which is the only documented ownership record. No information about a commission or earlier owners is documented in available sources.

This untitled painting, executed in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, originates from the Punjab Hills in northern India, dating to approximately 1800. It depicts a woman seated on the floor, engaged in the act of blowing smoke rings from a long pipe. Two doves accompany her, perched on her arm and shoulder, seemingly observing the ephemeral rings as they ascend.

The central figure of the painting is a woman absorbed in creating smoke rings, an activity that introduces a whimsical element to the scene. The presence of two doves, positioned intimately on her person, adds to this sense of gentle interaction and observation. The fleeting nature of the smoke rings suggests a moment of quiet amusement or perhaps a simple, captivating diversion.