Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Suzuki Harunobu in 1768.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Untitled

Suzuki Harunobu , 1768

Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Suzuki Harunobu. It dates from 1768 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

By placing the famed teahouse waitress before the shrine, the print underscores her public renown and the shrine’s prominence in contemporary urban culture.

The work portrays Kasamori Osen, a celebrated Edo-period beauty, in conjunction with the Kasamori Inari shrine. By placing the famed teahouse waitress before the shrine, the print underscores her public renown and the shrine’s prominence in contemporary urban culture. The juxtaposition suggests a celebration of both feminine allure and the protective Shinto deity associated with Inari, though the specific symbolic attributes are not detailed in the sources. The image thus functions as a portrait that ties personal celebrity to a recognizable religious landmark.

Technique & Style

The work is a woodblock print in the chuban format, executed in ink and color on paper. It belongs to the ukiyo-e genre, specifically the nishiki-e style of bijin-ga, and portrays the figure Kasamori Osen. The print was produced in 1768 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

Suzuki Harunobu produced this untitled woodblock print in 1768, during the period when polychrome nishiki-e techniques were transforming ukiyo-e production. The work depicts the teahouse attendant Kasamori Osen alongside the Kasamori Inari shrine.

The print is now held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The documented ownership chain begins with its accession into that institutional collection; no prior private owners, dealers, or earlier custodians are recorded in the available sources. Likewise, there is no information on a commissioning party, patron, or specific circumstances that prompted the work's creation beyond its dating to 1768.

Overview

Created around 1768, this chuban woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu presents a nocturnal scene of two women, identified as Kasamori Osen and Kasamori‑inari. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work belongs to the genre of ukiyo‑e portrait prints.

Context

The print exemplifies the mid‑Edo period interest in everyday life scenes, known as genre pictures. By focusing on ordinary figures in a serene setting, Harunobu aligns with contemporary trends that celebrated the beauty of ordinary moments.