Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Tōshūsai Sharaku in 1794.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Untitled

Tōshūsai Sharaku , 1794

Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Tōshūsai Sharaku. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

You see a man in a dark robe holding a fan, his face sharp and almost cartoonish.

Sharaku made these prints of kabuki actors in 1794–95, but no one knows who he really was, his whole career lasted only ten months. The mica ground (a shimmery mineral dust) makes the paper glow like stage lights.

Look up other prints in the subject actors.

Subject & Meaning

The print portrays the celebrated kabuki actor Segawa Kikunojō III in a dynamic pose holding a hand fan, a representation that emphasizes his prominence on the Edo-period stage. The work’s iconography captures the theatrical flair and individuality associated with yakusha-e portraits, reflecting both the performer’s public persona and the broader cultural fascination with celebrity actors in 18th‑century Japan.

Technique & Style

The work is a woodblock print executed in ink and color on paper with a mica ground, classifying it as a print within the ukiyo-e genre and specifically as a yakusha-e portrait. It depicts the actor Segawa Kikunojō III holding a hand fan, reflecting Sharaku’s characteristic emphasis on exaggerated facial features and dynamic line work that convey theatrical intensity. The composition relies on flat areas of color and patterned backgrounds, typical of nishiki-e prints from the late Edo period, while the handling of the figure’s pose and costume details illustrate the formal stylization of kabuki performance captured in this medium.

History & Provenance

Untitled, a 1794 woodblock print by Tōshūsai Sharaku depicting actor Segawa Kikunojō III holding a hand fan, entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of its ukiyo-e holdings. The work remains in the museum's custody, reflecting a continuous ownership chain from its creation to the present.

Overview

This untitled woodblock print, created by Tōshūsai Sharaku in 1794, is a portrait of Segawa Kikunojō III, a kabuki actor, depicted holding a hand fan. Characterized by a dark robe and a sharply defined, somewhat caricatured face, the print showcases Sharaku's distinctive style.

Context

This work is contextualized within Sharaku's series of kabuki actor prints from the late 18th century, a period of flourishing Japanese woodblock printing. For deeper understanding, comparing this print with others of the same subject or by the same artist can provide insights into Sharaku's artistic approach and the cultural significance of kabuki.