Untitled
1800
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1800
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1800 ink by Katsushika Hokusai, a japonisme work, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows a quiet indoor scene. A woman in a loose robe sits on a low platform, her back to us, near a window with a bamboo screen. Outside, a garden with plants and a small pond is visible through the open shutters. A yellow gourd rests beside her, and a small chest sits on the floor. The artist used fine lines and shading to show light and texture, like the folds in her robe or the leaves outside. This kind of careful detail was common in Japanese prints of the time. Look up cross-hatching next to see how artists build up shadows with layered lines.
