Artwork
Untitled

Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1799 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its subject consists of a solitary creature rendered with delicate line work, emphasizing anatomical presence within a compact composition.
The work titled Untitled (1799) is a Japanese ink-on-paper still life that portrays a single animal form. Its subject consists of a solitary creature rendered with delicate line work, emphasizing anatomical presence within a compact composition. The piece was produced in Japan and is presently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum's collection of Japanese paintings.
Technique & Style
The work is an ink drawing on paper, executed in the tradition of Japanese brush painting. It belongs to the still-life genre and portrays a single animal, reflecting the animalia theme noted in the documentation. The piece measures roughly 28.9 × 14.9 cm and was produced in Japan in 1799, as recorded in the catalogue data.
Its formal qualities consist of a compact, focused composition rendered in delicate line work characteristic of ink on paper. The artwork is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains part of the collection.
History & Provenance
The ink-on-paper work, titled Untitled, is attributed to Katsushika Hokusai and was created in Japan in 1799. It depicts an animal subject and measures 28.9 cm in height by 14.9 cm in width. The artwork is held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, classified within the still-life genre among the museum's Japanese paintings. No accession number, intermediate ownership, or exhibition history is documented in the available records.
Overview
This untitled ink on paper work by Katsushika Hokusai, created in 1799, presents a spontaneous study of nature. It depicts a small bird perched on a bamboo stalk, rendered with remarkable immediacy. Though appearing as a rapid sketch, the piece conveys a distinct sense of life and movement, reflecting Hokusai's ability to capture the essence of his subjects with minimal, yet expressive, means.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.














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