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 , 1625

Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Tawaraya Sōtatsu. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

This hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu centers on a single botanical subject: the poppy.

This hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu centers on a single botanical subject: the poppy. Devoting the entire composition to one flowering plant, the work belongs to the Rinpa school's tradition of closely observed, decorative depictions of flora rendered in ink and color on paper.

In Japanese visual culture, the poppy carries layered associations tied to fleeting beauty and seasonal transience, themes that resonated with Sōtatsu and his circle. By isolating the bloom against an unadorned ground, the painting invites contemplation of the flower's delicate petals and slender stem as a meditation on natural elegance and impermanence.

Technique & Style

Created in 1625 in Japan, this hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu is executed in ink and color on paper. The work depicts a poppy and measures 126.4 cm in height by 46.4 cm in width. It is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

History & Provenance

Created in 1625 in Japan, this hanging scroll is attributed to Tawaraya Sōtatsu, a painter active during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The work, executed in ink and color on paper, depicts a poppy. While some records associate the piece specifically with Sōtatsu, other descriptions classify it as a product of his school.

The painting eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is cataloged under the accession number 29.100.464. No specific details regarding its original commission or intermediate ownership history prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records, and no exhibition history is documented in the available sources.

Overview

Created in 1625, this hanging scroll by Tawaraya Sōtatsu presents a solitary poppy rendered in ink and color on paper. The composition is minimalist, with a plain background that accentuates the vivid red blossoms. Executed on a traditional Japanese hanging scroll, the work exemplifies the decorative sensibility that characterizes early Rinpa painting.

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),…