Untitled
1780
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1780
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1780 ink by Katsukawa Shunshō, a Romanticism work, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows two figures standing side by side against a plain wall. The person on the left wears a red-and-white patterned robe, a dark wig, and holds a fan and a sword. The person on the right is dressed in a long, flowing pink and white kimono with a black obi belt, holding a fan too. Both have bold, stylized faces and simple backgrounds with subtle floral patterns. The artist used bold outlines and flat colors, which was common in Japanese woodblock prints. Notice how the figures’ poses and expressions feel dramatic but calm at the same time. Next, check out the technique: cross-hatching used here to create shading.
