Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an unspecified painting by the Impressionist artist Kawabata Gyokushō. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows a rooster and a hen, rendered as a still‑life on a silk album leaf. Both birds appear in naturalistic detail, reflecting the artist’s interest in everyday fauna. The work was created in Japan in 1889 and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection. It is categorized as a painting within the still_life genre, emphasizing its focus on ordinary subject matter.
Technique & Style
6 cm in width, proportions consistent with the intimate scale of album-format painting.
This 1889 work by Kawabata Gyokushō is executed as an album leaf painted on silk, a traditional East Asian support well suited to delicate brushwork and luminous mineral pigments. The composition belongs to the still-life genre and depicts a chicken and a rooster, subjects that allowed the artist to demonstrate refined handling of plumage, gesture, and texture within a compact format. The leaf measures 34.3 cm in height by 27.6 cm in width, proportions consistent with the intimate scale of album-format painting.
Held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's paintings collection, the work reflects the late nineteenth-century continuation of the silk album-leaf tradition in Japan.
History & Provenance
Created in 1889 by the Japanese artist Kawabata Gyokushō, this album leaf on silk depicts a rooster and a chicken. The work was produced in Japan during the late nineteenth century. It eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held.
No specific details regarding the original commission or intermediate ownership history prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records.
The work is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was created in Japan in 1889. The painting, an album leaf on silk measuring 34.3 cm by 27.6 cm, depicts a rooster and a chicken.
No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources. The records do not list any exhibition history for this piece.
Context
Untitled (1889) is a silk album leaf painting by Kawabata Gyokushō, listed as a still_life within the category of paintings. The work portrays a chicken and a rooster and measures 34.3 cm by 27.6 cm. It is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, recorded with an inception date of 1889 and noted as created in Japan. The painting's inclusion in a major museum highlights its relevance to Japanese artistic production, though the sources do not provide details on contemporary critical reception or later scholarship.
Legacy
The painting, titled Untitled, is an 1889 album leaf executed in silk and classified as a still‑life within the broader category of Japanese paintings. It is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its display contributes to the museum’s presentation of early modern Japanese art.
Its inclusion in a prominent public collection has positioned the work as a reference point for studies of Meiji‑era animal imagery and the evolution of Japanese decorative painting, reinforcing Kawabata Gyokushō’s reputation beyond his lifetime. The work’s detailed depiction of a chicken and rooster exemplifies the naturalistic interest that influenced later artists exploring similar subjects.
Overview
This untitled work by Kawabata Gyokushō, painted in 1890, presents a domestic scene on an album leaf of silk. The artist depicts a rooster and two hens standing on a patch of earth, rendered with delicate ink and color. This small-scale painting was created for intimate viewing, reflecting a common practice of the period for sharing art in a personal setting rather than for public display.
Artist & collection
