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Untitled

Teisai Hokuba

1850

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Bamboo Bird

Dominant colour

Untitled is a 1850 ink by Teisai Hokuba, a Romanticism work, depicting Bamboo, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Teisai Hokuba
When & what style?: 1850 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows a small bird perched on a thin branch, its beak open as if singing. Behind it, bamboo leaves stretch upward, sharp and dark, while delicate white flowers bloom below. The background is mostly empty, letting the bird and plants stand out clearly. The artist used simple lines and soft colors to keep things clean and focused. The bird’s wings are slightly spread, almost like it’s catching a breeze. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.