Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a tempera painting by the Impressionist artist Shibata Zeshin. It dates from 1879 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The gourd’s organic curves and surface texture are emphasized, suggesting themes of renewal and abundance rooted in Edo-period symbolism.
The subject depicted is a gourd, rendered as a still-life element in a tempera-on-paper fan painting mounted as an album leaf from 1879. This choice of motif aligns with the Japanese tradition of kachō-ga (flowers-and-birds) and meiga (beautiful pictures), where humble natural forms were elevated to refined subjects of contemplation. The gourd’s organic curves and surface texture are emphasized, suggesting themes of renewal and abundance rooted in Edo-period symbolism.
Technique & Style
Created in 1879, this work by Shibata Zeshin is a fan painting repurposed as an album leaf. The artist employed tempera as the painting medium applied directly onto a paper support. The piece is classified within the still-life genre and formally depicts a gourd.
Executed in Japan, the object represents a specific handling of lacquer-adjacent techniques on paper, characteristic of Zeshin's experimentation with materials beyond traditional lacquerware.
History & Provenance
Untitled, a fan painting by Shibata Zeshin, was created in 1879 in Japan, executed in tempera on paper and later mounted as an album leaf. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is presently held. No further details regarding commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history are documented in the available sources.
The work Untitled by Shibata Zeshin, dated 1879, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The painting, which depicts a gourd and is executed as a fan painting mounted as an album leaf in tempera on paper, was created in Japan. While the specific accession number is not provided in the available records, the museum maintains the piece within its paintings classification. There is no information in the provided sources regarding a specific exhibition history for this work.
Overview
Created in 1879 by Shibata Zeshin, this work is a still life depicting two pale gourds resting on a plain brown surface. One gourd remains whole, while the other is sliced open to reveal its interior. Originally executed as a painting on a paper fan, the artist later mounted the piece as an album leaf, preserving the distinctive curved edges of the fan shape.
Zeshin employed tempera, a medium consisting of pigments bound with egg yolk, to achieve bright, matte colors that contrast with the dark background. This technique highlights the subtle textures of the gourds' skins and the soft flesh within. Executed late in the artist's career, the work exemplifies Zeshin's mastery of lacquerware aesthetics applied to painting, blending the decorative precision of his lacquer tradition with the naturalism of the Rinpa school.
The composition focuses entirely on the humble subject matter, elevating everyday objects through meticulous observation and refined execution.
Artist & collection
