Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a paint painting by Nawal Das. It dates from 1973 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1973, this untitled work by Nawal Das is a Madhubani painting executed with ink and paint on paper. The composition centers on a vividly colored horse pulling a chariot that bears a female figure and a small rider, rendered in the characteristic bold outlines and flat hues of the tradition.
Subject & Meaning
The scene is interpreted as an episode from the Ramayana, likely the episode in which Sita is abducted. The horse, chariot, and figures correspond to narrative elements of that myth, conveying a moment of movement and tension within the epic story.
Technique & Style
Das employs the Madhubani style’s dense ornamental surface, filling the entire field with intricate patterns of swirls, dots, and linear motifs. Thick black outlines define rounded forms, while bright, unmodulated colors—reds, purples, yellows—create a lively, flat visual effect without shading.
History & Provenance
Madhubani painting originated in the Mithila region of northern Bihar, where it was traditionally practiced by Hindu women on walls for weddings and rituals. The art form entered wider artistic awareness after documentation following the 1934 Bihar earthquake; Das’s 1973 piece continues that lineage into contemporary practice.
Context
The work reflects the transmission of a folk tradition into a fine‑art context, illustrating how regional narrative motifs and decorative aesthetics have been adapted for portable media such as paper, allowing broader exhibition beyond domestic settings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nawal Das painted a lone Untitled work in 1973, a small canvas that floats between memory and mood.
