Untitled
1863
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
1863
ink
From the collection of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Untitled is a 1863 ink by Utagawa Kunisada, a Impressionism work, depicting actor, held at Metropolitan Museum of Art.
This print shows five men in dramatic poses, all dressed in colorful, patterned costumes. Their faces are expressive—some look fierce, others surprised or angry. Each holds a prop: a fan, a sword, or a scroll. The background is mostly dark blue with swirling designs, and the edges of the paper have text in red and gold. Notice how the artist uses bold outlines and bright colors to make each face stand out. The men seem to be actors in a performance, frozen in key moments of a story. Look up actor to see how theater shaped this style of art.
