Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Chôbunsai Eishi in 1794.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Untitled

Chôbunsai Eishi , 1794

Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Chôbunsai Eishi. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1794, this triptych of woodblock prints depicts a domestic interior populated by five elegantly dressed women engaged in everyday activities. Executed in ink and color on paper, the composition is organized across three panels, each framed by a wooden screen and illuminated by a candle, with decorative round baskets suspended above.

Subject & Meaning

The scene belongs to the bijin‑ga tradition, portraying idealized beauties whose slender forms and graceful gestures convey refined femininity. Each figure performs a distinct task—holding a fan, kneeling with a tray, balancing a basket—suggesting a harmonious domestic routine and the aesthetic appreciation of everyday elegance.

Technique & Style

Eishi employs the characteristic ukiyo‑e approach of bold, clean outlines and flat, saturated hues of red, green, and blue. The stylized patterns on the garments and the simplified spatial setting create a lively yet restrained visual effect, emphasizing the decorative qualities of the figures over realistic perspective.

History & Provenance

Chōbunsai Eishi, originally a samurai serving the Shogunate, left governmental duties to study under Kano Eisen'in Michinobu before establishing himself as a prominent ukiyo‑e artist. This work, representative of his bijin‑ga output, entered the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains part of the museum’s prints and drawings holdings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Chôbunsai Eishi

Chōbunsai Eishi (鳥文斎栄之; 1756–1829) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist. His last name was Hosoda (細田). His first name was Tokitomi (時富). His common name was Taminosuke (民之丞) and later Yasaburo (弥三郎). Pupil of Kano Eisen'in…