Untitled
1704
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1704
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1704 ink by Torii Kiyonobu, a Baroque work, depicting actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows two people in a simple outdoor space. One holds a large umbrella with a black-and-white pattern, while the other carries a fan and a basket of flowers. Their clothes are bold—one in a patterned kimono, the other in a striped, short-sleeved outfit with a big black circle on the back. The artist used strong black lines to define shapes, almost like sketches filled in with color. The background is just a fence and a door, keeping focus on the two figures. Look up cross-hatching to see how artists build shadows with lines.
