Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Utagawa Toyoharu in 18th century.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Untitled

Utagawa Toyoharu , 1767

Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Utagawa Toyoharu. It dates from 1767 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1767 by Utagawa Toyoharu, this hanging scroll on silk depicts a domestic genre scene centered on a mother and her child.

Created in 1767 by Utagawa Toyoharu, this hanging scroll on silk depicts a domestic genre scene centered on a mother and her child. The composition features a woman and a boy or infant, capturing a moment of maternal care within a Japanese context. As a genre painting, the work focuses on everyday life rather than mythological or historical narratives.

The imagery represents the intimate bond between mother and child, a common theme in the artist's output during the Edo period. The figures are rendered with ink and color, emphasizing their relationship within the vertical format of the scroll. The subject matter reflects the artist's interest in portraying human interactions and familial roles in 18th-century Japan.

Technique & Style

The work is executed as a hanging scroll on silk, employing ink outlines supplemented with subtle pigments to render a domestic scene. The composition features a mother cradling an infant boy alongside a woman, rendered in the characteristic linear precision and flat color fields of early ukiyo-e painting. The scroll's dimensions (approximately 103.5 cm × 31.8 cm) reflect the standard format for hanging scrolls of the period.

The medium, ink and color on silk, highlights both the technical skill of Utagawa Toyoharu and the delicate handling required for silk supports.

History & Provenance

Utagawa Toyoharu's Untitled hanging scroll was created in 1767 in Japan, executed in ink and color on silk. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is currently held. No additional details regarding commission, intermediate ownership, or earlier provenance are documented in the available sources.

The museum's records list the work as a hanging scroll in ink and color on silk, measuring 103.5 cm in height and 31.8 cm in width, created in Japan in 1767. Its inventory number is not specified in the cited sources, and no exhibition history is provided in the available documentation.

Overview

This untitled work by Utagawa Toyoharu, created in 1767, is an ink and color painting on silk, formatted as a hanging scroll. It captures a quiet moment of domestic life, depicting a mother with her young children. The piece is notable for its early exploration of everyday genre scenes within Japanese art, rendered with a subtle palette and delicate execution.