Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Shibata Zeshin in 19th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Nihonga.

Artwork

Untitled

Shibata Zeshin , 1849

Untitled is an ink painting by the Nihonga artist Shibata Zeshin. It dates from 1849 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 57.70.3
Credit line: Gift of Edward M. Bratter, 1957

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses on these specific figures, utilizing ink on silk to render the pastoral subject matter.

Created in 1849 by Shibata Zeshin, this hanging scroll presents a landscape scene featuring a boy and oxen. The composition focuses on these specific figures, utilizing ink on silk to render the pastoral subject matter. While the work clearly depicts a rural interaction between a human figure and livestock, the available records do not elaborate on specific symbolic interpretations or deeper allegorical meanings associated with this particular grouping in Zeshin's oeuvre.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink on silk, a format typical of Japanese painting. It measures about 12.9 cm in height and 12.1 cm in width and was created in Japan in 1849. Stylistically it belongs to the landscape genre, depicting a boy together with oxen through delicate brushwork that emphasizes linear rhythm and subtle tonal modulation.

The documentation does not specify further details about its condition. These formal qualities reflect the artist’s focus on naturalistic representation within the traditions of Edo‑period scroll painting.

History & Provenance

Created in 1849 by the Japanese artist Shibata Zeshin, this hanging scroll executed in ink on silk depicts a landscape featuring a boy and oxen. The work was produced in Japan and later entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains held. While the specific circumstances of its commission and the detailed chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are not recorded in the available documentation, the piece is firmly dated to the mid-19th century based on institutional records.

Overview

Shibata Zeshin's Untitled, created in 1849, is an ink-on-silk hanging scroll. This painting captures a serene, everyday scene featuring a boy guiding a white ox along a barely visible path. The artist's choice of medium contributes to the work's distinctive visual quality, where delicate ink washes evoke a sense of quiet contemplation and transient beauty.