Untitled
1738
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
About the artist
1738
ink
paper
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1738 ink by Okumura Toshinobu, a Baroque work, depicting Actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows a man in a long robe playing a flute while a woman kneels beside him, holding a fan. Behind them, a stage with a lattice screen displays two masked actors—one standing, one sitting. The scene is simple but busy, with bold black lines and muted earthy colors. Notice how the man’s flute is almost as tall as he is, and the stage backdrop looks like a tiny theater. The print mixes detailed figures with flat patterns, making it feel both lively and slightly dreamlike. If you like this, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
