Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Katsukawa Shunshō. It dates from 1772 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1772 by the Edo‑period artist Katsukawa Shunshō, this nishiki‑e woodblock print measures a single sheet of paper printed with ink and color. It is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The composition centers on a solitary figure in a kimono, rendered against a plain beige backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
The figure is shown in a restrained pose, his kimono cinched with a red sash and a sword held behind his back. His solemn expression and the concealed weapon suggest a role associated with martial authority, such as a samurai, or possibly a kabuki actor portraying such a character. The image conveys a quiet, anticipatory tension.
Technique & Style
Executed in the multicolored nishiki‑e method, the print combines carved woodblocks for each hue with hand‑applied pigments.
Executed in the multicolored nishiki‑e method, the print combines carved woodblocks for each hue with hand‑applied pigments. Shunshō’s line work defines the garment’s folds and the subject’s facial features, while the limited background employs faint lines to suggest depth without distracting from the central figure. The palette is restrained, emphasizing the red sash and the figure’s dark silhouette.
History & Provenance
The print entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the early 20th century, reflecting the museum’s expanding holdings of Japanese ukiyo‑e. Its attribution to Shunshō, a prominent member of the Katsukawa school, aligns with the artist’s known output of actor portraits and warrior imagery during the late 18th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsukawa Shunshō spent his life in Edo (now Tokyo), where the city’s teahouses and theaters buzzed with energy.
