Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Romanticist artist Katsukawa Shuntei. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 36.100.71
About this work
A woman in a bright red robe leans against a bamboo screen, her black hair piled high.
A woman in a bright red robe leans against a bamboo screen, her black hair piled high. She holds a fan and looks off to the side, her face calm.
Shuntei painted this in 1795, when most artists showed women in stiff poses. Here, she feels real, like she just paused for a second. The ink lines are soft, but the red robe pops against the pale silk.
If you like this, look up women in Japanese art next.
Subject & Meaning
Created in 1795 by Katsukawa Shuntei, this hanging scroll depicts a solitary woman. Executed in ink and color on silk, the work functions as a portrait within the Japanese painting tradition. The composition focuses entirely on the female figure, utilizing the vertical format of the scroll to present her likeness.
While the specific identity of the subject remains unnamed in available records, the piece serves as a representation of feminine portraiture from late eighteenth-century Japan.
Technique & Style
The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink and color on silk, a traditional East Asian format suited to vertical display. Its narrow proportions, 90.5 cm in height by 27.3 cm in width, reflect the elongated hanging-scroll format and frame the portrait composition of a woman. Classified as a painting, the piece belongs to the ukiyo-e portrait tradition associated with Katsukawa Shuntei.
History & Provenance
The hanging scroll titled Untitled was created by the Japanese artist Katsukawa Shuntei in 1795. Executed in ink and color on silk, the work depicts a woman and originates from Japan. It is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The hanging scroll Untitled by Katsukawa Shuntei is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1795, this ink and color on silk painting depicts a woman and measures 90.5 cm in height by 27.3 cm in width. The work is classified within the museum's holdings of Japanese paintings.
The provided sources do not contain specific accession numbers, inventory details, or a record of exhibition history for this artwork.
Overview
Created in 1795, this hanging scroll by Katsukawa Shuntei presents a solitary female figure rendered in ink and color on silk. The composition centers on a woman in a vivid red kimono, leaning against a bamboo screen, her gaze directed away from the viewer. The work exemplifies the Edo‑period practice of portraiture on portable silk formats.
Context
During the 1790s, portraiture of women in Japanese art often emphasized stylized poses and decorative motifs. Shuntei’s approach, favoring a naturalistic stance and subdued emotional tone, aligns with a broader shift toward more intimate, observational renderings within the ukiyo‑e genre.
Artist & collection
