Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Tawaraya Sōtatsu in 17th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Untitled

Tawaraya Sōtatsu , 1620

Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Tawaraya Sōtatsu. It dates from 1620 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1620, this hanging scroll presents a single flower rendered with ink and color on paper.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1620, this hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu presents a still life composition focused entirely on floral subject matter.

Created in 1620, this hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu presents a still life composition focused entirely on floral subject matter. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work depicts flowers as its sole representational element, adhering to the genre conventions of Japanese botanical painting. The piece functions as a focused study of natural forms, utilizing the vertical format of the scroll to arrange the floral imagery.

While specific symbolic interpretations of the particular species depicted are not detailed in available records, the work stands as an example of early 17th-century Japanese artistry dedicated to capturing the essence of plant life through brush and pigment.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a hanging scroll using ink and color on paper, consistent with Sōtatsu’s idiom for decorative screens and panels adapted to the scroll format. The composition centers on a stylized floral motif, rendered with delicate mineral-based pigments and carbon ink to achieve subtle gradations and surface sheen. Handling emphasizes flat, decorative patterns and asymmetrical balance, hallmarks of the Rinpa lineage’s approach to nature imagery.

No condition details are provided in the cited sources.

History & Provenance

Untitled is a hanging scroll painted by Tawaraya Sōtatsu around 1620 in Japan. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work measures 86 cm in height by 43.5 cm in width and portrays a single flower. The scroll was created in the early Edo period and is documented as part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection (accession 29.100.440).

Its provenance is limited to the museum’s records, which indicate acquisition of the piece and its continued display at the institution. No earlier owners or commissioning details are recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Created in 1620, this hanging scroll presents a single flower rendered with ink and color on paper. The composition is modest in scale, employing a restrained palette that emphasizes the delicate line work of the blossom against an expansively empty background. The work exemplifies the aesthetic principles of early Rinpa painting, where simplicity and suggestion are foregrounded over elaborate detail.

Context

Produced at a time when ukiyo‑e themes were emerging, the painting diverges from narrative scenes to concentrate on a single natural element. Its restrained composition aligns with contemporary aesthetic movements that valued elegance through understatement, positioning the work within the broader shift toward decorative arts in early 17th‑century Japan.

Artist & collection

Artist

Tawaraya Sōtatsu

Tawaraya Sōtatsu (俵屋宗達; c. 1570 – c. 1640) was a Japanese furniture designer and painter of the Rinpa school. Sōtatsu is best known for his decorations of calligraphic works by his partner Hon'ami Kōetsu (1558–1637),…