Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Ike no Taiga.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Nihonga.

Artwork

Untitled

Ike no Taiga

Untitled is an ink painting by the Nihonga artist Ike no Taiga. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1850, this untitled work by Ike Taiga consists of two hinged panels that originally functioned as sliding doors. Executed in monochrome ink on paper, the pair forms a continuous landscape that is now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a mountainous scene populated with densely rendered trees and rugged rock formations. Vertical Chinese characters run along the left edge, offering a textual element that interacts with the visual narrative, a common practice in East Asian literati painting to convey poetic or philosophical associations.

Technique & Style

Taiga employed traditional ink wash methods, varying brush pressure to achieve a range of textures from delicate foliage to solid stone. The black‑and‑white palette emphasizes tonal contrast, while the meticulous detailing reflects the artist’s skill in rendering natural forms with a realistic yet expressive hand.

History & Provenance

Originally designed as functional sliding‑door panels, the work was later reconfigured as a decorative screen. After passing through private hands, it entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of mid‑nineteenth‑century Japanese landscape painting.

Artist & collection

Artist

Ike no Taiga

Ike no Taiga (池大雅; June 6, 1723, in Kyōto, Japan — May 30, 1776, in Kyōto) was a Japanese painter and calligrapher born in Kyoto during the Edo period.