Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Kano Naonobu in 1628.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Untitled

Kano Naonobu , 1628

Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Kano Naonobu. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1628, this hanging scroll by Kanō Naonobu presents a solitary bird perched on a slender branch.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work utilizes ink on paper to render this avian subject within a naturalistic setting, adhering to the traditions of Japanese landscape art.

Created in 1628 by Kano Naonobu, this hanging scroll is classified as a landscape painting that centers on the depiction of a bird. The work utilizes ink on paper to render this avian subject within a naturalistic setting, adhering to the traditions of Japanese landscape art. While the specific iconographic program or deeper symbolic meaning associated with the bird is not detailed in the available records, the composition focuses on the integration of the creature into its environment.

The piece serves as a representation of the natural world as interpreted by the Kano school during the early Edo period.

Technique & Style

The work is a hanging scroll executed in ink on paper, characteristic of early Edo‑period Japanese painting. Kano Naonobu, active in the 1620s, employed a restrained brushstroke to render a solitary bird against a minimal background, emphasizing line and negative space. The scroll’s vertical format and modest dimensions (height 104.1 cm, width 39.4 cm) reflect the traditional support used for display in interior spaces.

As a landscape genre piece, the composition balances subtle tonal gradations with a focus on the avian subject, producing a calm, contemplative aesthetic typical of the period.

History & Provenance

The work Untitled was produced in 1628 in Japan by Kano Naonobu as a hanging scroll executed in ink on paper; it belongs to the landscape genre and portrays a bird. The painting is dated to 1628 and measures 104.1 cm in height by 39.4 cm in width, reflecting the scale typical of Edo‑period scrolls. It was created within the artistic output of the Kanō school during the early Edo period.

The scroll entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held and displayed. No earlier ownership records or commission details are documented in the available sources.

The hanging scroll Untitled by Kano Naonobu, created in 1628, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the artwork depicts a bird within a landscape setting, the provided sources do not specify a unique accession or inventory number for the piece. The work is classified as a painting executed in ink on paper. No exhibition history is recorded in the available documentation.

Overview

Created in 1628, this hanging scroll by Kanō Naonobu presents a solitary bird perched on a slender branch. Executed with ink on paper, the composition is minimalist, emphasizing the quiet presence of the bird within an implied garden setting. The work exemplifies the early Edo period’s ink traditions while reflecting the artist’s personal aesthetic within the broader Kanō school.