Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Kano Tsunenobu. It dates from 1674 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
It functions as one part of a triptych, depicting a landscape scene that includes a bird.
Created in 1674, this work is a hanging scroll executed in ink and color on paper. It functions as one part of a triptych, depicting a landscape scene that includes a bird. The painting measures 89.5 cm in height and 28.9 cm in width, reflecting the vertical format typical of Japanese hanging scrolls.
The composition integrates naturalistic elements within a traditional landscape genre, utilizing the Kano school's characteristic approach to ink and pigment application on paper supports.
History & Provenance
Created in 1674 by the Japanese artist Kanō Tsunenobu, this work is a landscape painting depicting a bird. Executed in ink and color on paper, it forms one panel of a triptych of hanging scrolls. The piece was produced in Japan and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. No specific inventory or accession number or exhibition records are documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1674 by Kano Tsunenobu, this hanging scroll forms part of a three‑panel series. Executed with ink and color on paper, the work presents a solitary crane poised on one leg within a marshland setting, its wings partially lifted and surrounded by reeds and distant birds.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a crane, a motif traditionally associated with longevity and fidelity in Japanese symbolism. Positioned in a tranquil wetland, the bird’s poised stance and the subtle movement of surrounding reeds convey a sense of quiet endurance and the passage of time.
Context
Within the Kano school, known for integrating Chinese brush techniques with Japanese aesthetics, Tsunenobu’s work exemplifies the period’s interest in natural subjects rendered with understated elegance. The series reflects a broader Edo‑period fascination with seasonal change and the symbolic resonance of birds in visual culture.
Artist & collection
