Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a paint painting by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Roosters were also a popular auspicious motif in Edo-period painting, signaling good fortune, courage, and the dispelling of darkness or misfortune.
Hokusai's 1804 painting depicts a rooster, rendered in color on paper as a portrait-style study of the bird. In Japanese visual culture, the rooster carries layered symbolic weight: it is one of the twelve animals of the East Asian zodiac, traditionally associated with dawn, vigilance, and the punctual marking of time through its crowing. Roosters were also a popular auspicious motif in Edo-period painting, signaling good fortune, courage, and the dispelling of darkness or misfortune.
By isolating the bird as the sole subject of a portrait-format composition, Hokusai directs attention to its physical presence and character rather than narrative context, inviting the viewer to read the animal both as a naturalistic study and as a bearer of traditional symbolic meaning tied to renewal and protection.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Untitled, depicting a rooster, was created by Katsushika Hokusai in Japan in 1804. Executed as a color painting on paper, the work measures 60.6 cm in height and 40 cm in width and is classified as a portrait of a rooster. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
The available records do not specify the original commissioning party, the chain of ownership prior to the museum's acquisition, an accession or inventory number, or any documented exhibition history.
Overview
Katsushika Hokusai's "Untitled" from 1804 is a painting rendered in color on paper, presenting a single rooster. Created when the artist was in his seventies, this work exemplifies his continued exploration of straightforward subjects. The composition features a rooster standing on one leg, its feathers depicted with a sense of movement and texture, set against an unadorned background. This piece reflects Hokusai's ongoing artistic experimentation even in his later years.
Technique & Style
Hokusai executed this work using color on paper, employing a notably loose and spontaneous brushwork. Rather than precise outlines, the artist utilized quick, broad strokes to define the rooster's form, allowing the texture of the paper to remain visible beneath the pigment. This approach creates a dynamic surface, contributing to the bird's lively presence and demonstrating a departure from more conventional, highly detailed rendering techniques characteristic of some contemporary works.
Context
Created in 1804, this painting dates to a period when Katsushika Hokusai was in his early seventies. Even at this advanced age, the artist continued to explore and refine his approach, often focusing on seemingly simple subjects like this rooster. This work illustrates his enduring curiosity and willingness to experiment with different compositional and technical strategies throughout his long and prolific career, rather than adhering to established formulas.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
