Plower in Pulla Caste, from Indian Trades and Castes

Art Historical Context

This evocative watercolor and gouache painting, created around 1840 by an anonymous Indian artist, belongs to the series *Indian Trades and Castes*. It portrays a farmer from the Pulla caste guiding his oxen across the fields, capturing a timeless moment of agricultural labor. Such works emerged during the early colonial period, when Indian artists produced detailed studies of local occupations and social groups, often for British patrons fascinated by the subcontinent’s diverse communities and customs. The medium of watercolor and gouache allowed the artist to render vibrant colors and fine details with remarkable clarity, from the textured earth underfoot to the sturdy forms of the cattle. Measuring just over 14 by 10 inches, the sheet was likely part of a larger album or portfolio, designed for easy viewing and collection. These images served both as artistic records and ethnographic documents, preserving visual knowledge of 19th-century Indian life. Today, the work offers modern viewers a window into the rhythms of rural existence and the dignity of manual work. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection of drawings and prints, it reminds us how art can bridge cultures across time.

About the Artist

Anonymous, Indian, 19th century · 1800–1900

**Anonymous, Indian, 19th Century (ca. 1800–1900)** The artist cataloged as Anonymous, Indian, 19th century represents one of countless skilled Indian painters whose identities remain elusive in historical records, active during a transformative era under British colonial influence. Working roughly between 1800 and 1900, this anonymous figure exemplifies the legion of indigenous artists who adapt...