Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1616 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created in India in 1616, this manuscript leaf presents a genre scene centered on equestrian activity.
Created in India in 1616, this manuscript leaf presents a genre scene centered on equestrian activity. The composition explicitly depicts a man and a horse, categorized broadly under the theme of sport. While the specific identity of the figures and the precise nature of the sporting event remain undefined in available records, the work functions as a visual document of human-animal interaction within a recreational or competitive context.
The imagery relies on the straightforward representation of these subjects without additional recorded symbolic layers or allegorical meanings beyond the immediate depiction of the sport itself.
Technique & Style
The work is a manuscript leaf painted in ink and opaque watercolor on paper, measuring approximately 7 cm in height and 23.3 cm in width, produced in India in 1616. It belongs to the Paintings category and is classified as a genre scene, depicting a horse and a man in a sporting context. The composition emphasizes narrative clarity through line and flat color fields typical of early Indian manuscript illumination, while the anonymous execution precludes attribution of a specific stylistic school. The handling and present condition of the leaf are not detailed in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
The work is first documented in 1616, aligning with the date inscribed on the manuscript leaf, suggesting it was created during the early seventeenth century in India. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as an anonymous painting, where it has been maintained under that attribution. The slender format, medium, and subject, a genre scene of a horse and rider, point to a Mughal or Deccani court context rather than a commissioned portrait.
The artwork titled Untitled, a 1616 manuscript leaf depicting a man and a horse engaged in sport, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in India using ink and opaque watercolor on paper, the piece measures 7 by 23.3 centimeters. While the specific accession or inventory number is not provided in the available records, the work is classified under the museum's Paintings department. No specific exhibition history or prior provenance details are recorded in the provided documentation.
Overview
This untitled painting, rendered in ink and opaque watercolor on a manuscript leaf, depicts an equestrian scene. Originally a component of a royal book from India, the miniature work captures a dynamic moment. A rider on a galloping horse is shown engaged in a sport, swinging a long stick towards a small ball. This small-scale artwork reflects the artistic traditions of its time and place.
Artist & collection
