Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Teisai Hokuba in 18th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Romanticism.

Untitled by Teisai Hokuba (18th century) · Meaning & Museum

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Executed in ink, color, and gold on silk, the work functions as a portrait within the Japanese painting tradition.

Created in 1785 by Teisai Hokuba, this hanging scroll depicts a solitary woman. Executed in ink, color, and gold on silk, the work functions as a portrait within the Japanese painting tradition. The composition focuses entirely on the female figure, utilizing the luxurious materials to render her presence.

While the specific identity of the subject remains unnamed in available records, the piece serves as a representation of feminine portraiture from late eighteenth-century Japan.

Technique & Style

The work is a hanging scroll painted in ink, color, and gold on silk, classifying it as a portrait painting. Its formal qualities include a restrained composition that emphasizes the sitter’s serene expression and the subtle use of gold accents to highlight decorative elements. The handling of line and color reflects the stylistic conventions of late Edo-period portraiture, while the silk support contributes to the scroll’s fluid drape and visual lightness.

History & Provenance

Created in 1785 by the Japanese artist Teisai Hokuba, this hanging scroll depicts a woman rendered in ink, color, and gold on silk. The work was produced in Japan and currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. While the specific commission details and intermediate ownership history are not provided in the available records, the piece is formally attributed to Hokuba with an inception date of 1785.

The hanging scroll Untitled by Teisai Hokuba, dated 1785, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, classified as a painting, depicts a woman and was created in Japan using ink, color, and gold on silk. Its physical dimensions are recorded as 73.7 cm in height and 27.3 cm in width.

The provided sources do not list a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for this piece.

Context

Teisai Hokuba's Untitled (1785) exemplifies portraiture within the broader landscape of Edo-period painting. The work, a hanging scroll depicting a woman in ink and color on silk with gold accents, reflects the refined aesthetics of Japanese portraiture during this period. Its presence in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection underscores its significance within institutional holdings of Japanese art, situating it within the artistic traditions of the time.

Scholarly attention to Hokuba's production highlights his role within the ukiyo-e school's evolving portrait tradition, though specific critical reception details of this particular work remain undocumented in available sources. The painting's formal qualities and subject matter contribute to understanding the stylistic developments of portraiture in late 18th-century Japan, forming part of the broader context of Japanese painting's evolution.

Overview

Created in 1785 by the Edo‑period artist Teisai Hokuba, this hanging scroll presents a solitary female figure rendered in ink, color and gold on silk. The composition centers the woman in a vivid red garment, positioned against a stylized bamboo screen, with her back turned toward the viewer and a fan held in her hand.