Untitled
1781
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1781
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1781 ink by Katsukawa Shunshō, a Romanticism work, depicting actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows a man dressed in a dramatic, layered costume. He wears a wide-brimmed hat, a sword at his side, and a bow slung over his shoulder. His face is painted white with bold black lines around the eyes, and he grips a staff or spear. The background is simple, letting the patterned fabrics stand out in reds, browns, and golds. The way the artist uses sharp lines and shading to show fabric folds and muscles is striking. This style was common in Japanese woodblock prints of the time. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build texture with lines.
