Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Unknown in 1771.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Patna School of Painting.

Artwork

Untitled

Unknown , 1771

Untitled is a paint painting by the Patna School of Painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1771 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is a fragment taken from a horizontal scroll that portrays Hindu deities.

About this work

Overview

The work is a fragment taken from a horizontal scroll that portrays Hindu deities. Executed as a Company painting, it reflects the collaborative artistic production of Indian painters serving British patrons during the colonial period. The fragment measures only a modest portion of the original, larger composition.

Subject & Meaning

The scene depicts several Hindu gods, arranged in a traditional iconographic scheme typical of Indian religious art. The figures are rendered with conventional attributes that identify each deity, offering insight into the visual language used to convey sacred narratives to both Indian and European audiences.

Technique & Style

Created with the fine brushwork and vivid pigments characteristic of 18th‑century Indian court painting, the piece combines native stylistic conventions with subtle adjustments to suit British tastes. The composition follows the linear, narrative format of scroll painting, allowing a continuous visual story across the length of the original work.

History & Provenance

The scroll was acquired by William Marsden, an East India Company writer stationed in Sumatra from 1771 to 1779. After his return to England, Marsden, who later became First Secretary to the Admiralty, presented the fragment to the Royal Asiatic Society in 1828. The Society transferred the piece to the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1924, where it remains in the collection.

Context

Company paintings emerged as a hybrid genre, wherein Indian artists adapted traditional motifs to the preferences of European patrons. This cross‑cultural exchange illustrates how colonial networks facilitated the circulation of Indian visual culture into British scholarly and artistic circles during the late eighteenth century.