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Untitled

Torii Kiyonaga

1781

ink

paper

From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Flower

Dominant colour

Untitled is a 1781 ink by Torii Kiyonaga, a Romanticism work, depicting Flower, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Torii Kiyonaga
When & what style?: 1781 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Metropolitan Museum of Art

About this work

This print shows two people walking outdoors. The person on the left holds a red umbrella and wears a dark kimono with white flowers on the hem. The person on the right carries a small box and wears a simple gray robe. Around them, trees with white blossoms line a fence, and there’s a wooden gate in the background. The artist used bold outlines and flat colors, which was common in Japanese woodblock prints. Notice how the umbrella and box stand out against the softer colors of the clothing and trees. Next, look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shading with lines.