Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Kita Genki in 1666.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Untitled by Kita Genki (1666) · Meaning & Museum

Accession no.: 1975.268.78
Credit line: The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The work portrays a male sitter, as indicated by its cataloging and by the Wikidata entry that records the depiction of a man.

Untitled (1666) is a hanging scroll painted in ink and color on silk by Kita Genki, classified as a portrait. The work portrays a male sitter, as indicated by its cataloging and by the Wikidata entry that records the depiction of a man. Its creation in Japan and subsequent inclusion in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection underscore its historical significance as an example of 17th-century Japanese portraiture.

No additional iconographic or symbolic attributes are documented in the available sources, so the painting's meaning is understood primarily through its function as a formal portrait of an unidentified individual.

Technique & Style

Untitled (1666) by Kita Genki is a hanging scroll painted in ink and color on silk, a format typical of Japanese portraiture. The piece portrays a man and belongs to the portrait genre, reflecting the artist's use of fine brushwork and subtle tonal modulation within the scroll's vertical composition. The sources do not provide further details on its physical condition or handling, but confirm the medium, support, and formal classification as a painted hanging scroll portrait.

History & Provenance

The hanging scroll portrait by Kita Genki, created in 1666, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, cataloged as a painting within the museum's holdings of Japanese art. There is no information in the available sources regarding exhibition history or prior provenance details beyond its current institutional location.

Overview

Created by Kita Genki in 1666, this untitled hanging scroll features a portrait of a man rendered with ink and color on silk. The artwork presents a quiet and contemplative depiction, notable for its subdued palette and the subject's serene posture. It offers a glimpse into a distinctive approach to portraiture during the mid-17th century in Japan, emphasizing a sense of calm and introspection.

Context

This portrait stands apart from many Japanese portraits of its time due to its understated aesthetic. While many contemporary works embraced decorative elements and formal poses, Kita Genki's approach here prioritizes a sense of immediacy and quiet observation. The almost "snapshot-like" quality of the subject's pose and expression suggests a departure from more conventional, stylized representations, offering a more intimate portrayal.