Untitled
The Met
Artist: Unidentified
Date: ca. 1800
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Ink and wash on J. Whatman paper watermarked 1798
Dimensions: Sheet (folded): 16 1/8 × 10 1/16 in. (41 × 25.5 cm) Sheet: 16 1/8 × 20 1/8 in. (41 × 51.1 cm)
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2021
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Highly decorated architectural column with mythical creatures, human figures, and ornate carvings
Detailed Description
A detailed black and white line drawing depicts an elaborately carved architectural column. The column is shown vertically, filling most of the frame, against a plain, light background. At the top, the column capital features a large, ornate bracket on the left, depicting a rearing mythical creature with a lion's head and a stylized body, surrounded by scrolling foliage. A similar, smaller creature is visible on the right side of the capital. The capital also includes multiple bands of intricate floral and geometric patterns. The main shaft of the column is densely ornamented. On the left side, a prominent, large-scale carving of a rearing mythical creature, possibly a yali, dominates. It has a lion's head with an open mouth, and a stylized, elongated body resembling a horse or dragon, adorned with intricate scales and mane details. A smaller, human-like figure is depicted beneath its raised front legs, holding a bow. The right side of the shaft is divided into several vertical registers. The central register features a standing figure, likely a female deity, within a narrow, ornate architectural niche. She wears elaborate jewelry, including a large necklace, armbands, and a headdress, and her hands are positioned near her waist. To her right, another vertical section contains smaller, multi-tiered carvings of figures and decorative elements. One figure is seated on a pedestal, while others stand or are integrated into the architectural motifs. The bottom of the column consists of multiple horizontal bands of moldings, decorated with repetitive patterns and small, stylized figures. The entire drawing is characterized by extremely fine lines and dense ornamentation, depicting a complex arrangement of mythological creatures, human figures, and architectural motifs.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
