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

Technique & Style

The formal composition depicts a woman alongside a hand fan and a kettle, reflecting the artist's focus on domestic scenes and everyday objects.

Created in 1768 by Suzuki Harunobu, this work is a woodblock print executed with ink and color on paper. Classified within the ukiyo-e tradition, it specifically employs the nishiki-e and mitate-e genres, which are characterized by the use of multiple blocks to achieve rich, polychrome results and the employment of allusive parody, respectively. The formal composition depicts a woman alongside a hand fan and a kettle, reflecting the artist's focus on domestic scenes and everyday objects.

As a nishiki-e print, the handling of color demonstrates the technical sophistication of the period, utilizing layered pigments to define form and texture on the paper support.

Overview

Created around 1768, this woodblock print by Suzuki Harunobu presents a modest interior scene. A woman in a blue robe leans over a low table where a small iron kettle emits steam, while a red folding fan rests against the wall. The composition captures a moment of everyday activity in Edo‑period Japan.

Subject & Meaning

The image focuses on domestic routine: the preparation of tea or a hot beverage, suggested by the kettle’s rising steam, and the presence of a hand fan, an accessory associated with seasonal comfort. The quiet posture and muted setting convey a sense of intimacy and the ordinary pleasures of household life.

History & Provenance

The print belongs to Harunobu’s prolific output during the late 1760s, a period when he pioneered color printing techniques. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work is representative of the artist’s contributions to the transition toward richly colored prints that defined the later Edo period.