Untitled
1816
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1816
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
This small painting shows a quiet scene of nature and objects. There’s a blue bowl with a simple pattern, a folded white cloth, and a few leaves in brown and green. A bird is perched on the cloth, and the background has faint blue mountains and a hint of a cloud. The colors are soft, and the whole image looks like it was drawn quickly but carefully. The writing around the edges is Japanese, which suggests this might be part of a special kind of print called *surimono*. These prints were often made for small groups of friends to share. Look up technique: cross-hatching next to see how artists create shading with lines.
