Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Nihonga artist Nakabayashi Chikkei. It dates from 1841 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the landscape genre and depicts a mountain, the sole identifiable subject in the composition.
Untitled (1841) is a hanging scroll painted in ink and color on silk by Nakabayashi Chikkei. The work belongs to the landscape genre and depicts a mountain, the sole identifiable subject in the composition. As a landscape painting, it presents a natural scene typical of Japanese artistic conventions of the period, emphasizing the representation of terrain rather than narrative or figural content.
The piece is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and measures 120.7 cm in height by 41.9 cm in width.
Technique & Style
The work is presented as a hanging scroll, a traditional Japanese support in which the painting is mounted on fabric and intended for vertical display. It is executed in ink with polychrome pigments on silk. The composition belongs to the landscape genre and portrays a solitary mountain, reflecting the artist's focus on natural scenery.
Formal qualities include a balanced vertical format, restrained ink wash outlining the peak, and muted color washes that emphasize atmospheric depth. The scroll measures approximately 120.7 cm in height and 41.9 cm in width, held in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Created in 1841 by the Japanese artist Nakabayashi Chikkei, this landscape painting was executed in Japan using ink and color on silk. The work, which depicts a mountain scene, currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The specific circumstances of its commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not specified in the available records.
Overview
This untitled hanging scroll, created by Nakabayashi Chikkei in 1841, presents a serene mountain landscape. Executed with ink and delicate colors on silk, the work exemplifies traditional Japanese painting. It invites contemplation of nature's grandeur through its depiction of a towering peak amidst atmospheric elements, characteristic of the artist's approach to natural scenery.
Artist & collection
