Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Romanticist artist Chôbunsai Eishi. It dates from 1785 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The artwork depicts a woman engaged in the act of correspondence.
The artwork depicts a woman engaged in the act of correspondence. As a genre scene created by Chôbunsai Eishi in 1785, the composition focuses on the figure handling letters or documents, highlighting a moment of personal communication. The subject matter centers on the female figure and the specific activity of writing or reading, representing everyday domestic life in Japan during the late 18th century.
Technique & Style
Created in 1785, this hanging scroll by Chôbunsai Eishi is executed in ink and color on a silk support. The work depicts a genre scene featuring a woman engaged in correspondence. The painting measures 80.4 cm in height and 33.2 cm in width. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Chôbunsai Eishi created the hanging scroll Untitled in 1785. The work, executed in ink and color on silk, depicts a woman engaged in correspondence. It was produced in Japan during the Edo period. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The painting Untitled (1785) by Chōbunsai Eishi is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It appears in the museum’s catalogue as part of its holdings, but no explicit inventory or accession number is supplied in the source material. The work has not been documented as having been shown in temporary exhibitions; its public display has been limited to the museum’s permanent galleries where it remains accessible to visitors.
Overview
Chōbunsai Eishi created this untitled hanging scroll in 1785, employing ink and color on silk. The artwork captures a genre scene, depicting a woman absorbed in the act of writing a letter. This piece offers a quiet glimpse into domestic life, characteristic of the ukiyo-e tradition that Eishi would become known for.
Context
Born Hosoda Tokitomi in 1756, Chōbunsai Eishi came from a prominent samurai family with direct ties to the Shogunate. He initially trained under Kano Eisen'in Michinobu, a master of the established Kano school. Eishi later chose to relinquish his official position as a vassal to dedicate himself to art, transitioning to the ukiyo-e genre and first gaining recognition for his portraits of beautiful women, known as bijin-ga.
Artist & collection
Artist
Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎 栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…
