Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Impressionist artist Seki Shūkō. It dates from 1891 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a slender, stylized fish swimming horizontally across the surface, rendered in delicate brushwork and subtle pigment washes.
Untitled (1891) by Seki Shūkō is a Japanese ink and color silk painting on an album leaf that depicts a single fish. The composition shows a slender, stylized fish swimming horizontally across the surface, rendered in delicate brushwork and subtle pigment washes. The work measures 36.2 cm in height and 27.0 cm in width and was created in Japan; it is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. The subject, a fish, occupies the central visual field, emphasizing a naturalistic representation.
Technique & Style
Created in 1891, this work by Seki Shūkō is an album leaf executed in ink and color on silk. The piece measures 36.2 cm in height and 27.0 cm in width. Stylistically, it depicts fish, a subject rendered through traditional Japanese painting methods on a silk support. The combination of ink and color on this delicate medium characterizes the formal qualities of the piece.
History & Provenance
Created in 1891 by the Japanese artist Seki Shūkō, this album leaf depicts fish rendered in ink and color on silk. The work originated in Japan during the late nineteenth century. It eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. The piece measures 36.2 cm in height and 27.0 cm in width.
The work Untitled by Seki Shūkō is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It is classified as a painting and was created in 1891 as an album leaf using ink and color on silk, depicting a fish.
The piece measures 36.2 cm in height and 27.0 cm in width, and it was produced in Japan. Its accession identifier has not been published in the available documentation.
No exhibition record appears in the cited sources, and the work remains in the museum’s permanent collection.
Overview
Created around 1891, this album leaf by Seki Shūkō presents a solitary fish rendered on silk. The composition is minimal, with the creature occupying the central space against an unadorned background, allowing the viewer’s attention to rest solely on its form and surface treatment.
Context
The late nineteenth century saw Japan opening its borders, prompting artists to experiment with new materials and compositional approaches. This painting reflects that transitional moment, blending classic Japanese ink techniques with a more focused, almost photographic attention to a single subject.
Artist & collection
