Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Maruyama Shijo artist Tsubaki Kakoku. It dates from 1835 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
While the precise species are not identified in the sources, such arrangements typically evoke themes of fleeting beauty (mono no aware) or natural harmony.
The work depicts a delicate still-life composition centered on flowers, rendered with ink and color on a folding fan. Executed in 1835, it aligns with traditional Japanese kacho-ga (bird-and-flower painting), though here the focus is solely botanical. The choice of flowers, likely seasonal blooms, carries symbolic weight in East Asian art, where specific varieties often signify virtues, transience, or seasonal transitions.
While the precise species are not identified in the sources, such arrangements typically evoke themes of fleeting beauty (mono no aware) or natural harmony. The fan format itself, an intimate and functional object, suggests the painting was intended for personal appreciation or as a gift, reinforcing the ephemeral yet cherished nature of the subject.
Technique & Style
Created in 1835, this work by Tsubaki Kakoku is executed as a painting on a folding fan support. The artist utilized ink and color applied to paper to render a still-life composition depicting a flower. Measuring 26 cm in height and 44.1 cm in width, the piece reflects Japanese artistic traditions of the period. The medium combines traditional calligraphic ink techniques with colored pigments, characteristic of the genre.
History & Provenance
Created in 1835 by the Japanese artist Tsubaki Kakoku, this folding fan painting depicts a floral still life executed in ink and color on paper. The work was produced in Japan during the nineteenth century. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which lists the object's inception date as January 1, 1835.
No further details regarding specific commissions, prior ownership chains, or the circumstances of its acquisition by the museum are provided in the available records.
The folding fan titled Untitled by Tsubaki Kakoku is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1835, the work measures 26 cm in height and 44.1 cm in width. While the museum's ownership is established, the provided records do not list a specific accession number or detail any past exhibitions for this piece.
Overview
Created in 1835, this untitled work by Tsubaki Kakoku is executed on a folding fan using ink and color on paper. The composition centers on a solitary branch of white plum blossoms, rendered with soft pink edges and deep‑green foliage, extending across the fan’s surface.
Context
In the early nineteenth century, folding fans were common daily accessories rather than solely decorative items. Artists like Kakoku used them as portable canvases, merging utilitarian design with aesthetic expression. This work reflects that practice, illustrating how everyday objects served as vehicles for refined visual poetry.
Artist & collection
Artist
Tsubaki Kakoku (1825-1850) was a Japanese painter of the late Edo period, born in Edo as the son of the painter Tsubaki Chinzan.
