Artwork
Untitled

Untitled is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Keisai Eisen. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created in 1895, this three-panel woodblock print presents an interior scene rendered in vivid ink and color on paper.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1895, this three-panel woodblock print presents an interior scene rendered in vivid ink and color on paper. The composition is divided into three adjoining sheets, forming a continuous view of a room where figures are arranged around a bed and a table. The work is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a formal gathering within a domestic space. Figures in brightly patterned robes occupy the room, some seated, others standing, while one individual lies on a bed covered with a red and green patterned sheet. The arrangement suggests a ceremonial or social occasion, emphasizing the interaction of participants around the central furnishings.
Technique & Style
Executed as a triptych of woodblock prints, the artist employed precise carving and multiple color blocks to achieve intricate patterns on the floor, walls, curtains, and textiles. The palette combines bold reds, blues, purples, and greens, while the handling of line and wash evokes a sense of immediacy reminiscent of late‑19th‑century Impressionist approaches to light and surface.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced by the Japanese printmaker Keisai in the closing decade of the 19th century, a period when woodblock printing was adapting to Western influences. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition, where it remains on view as an example of cross‑cultural artistic exchange during the Meiji era.
Artist & collection
Artist
Eisen lived in Edo (now Tokyo) when the city pulsed with theaters, teahouses, and woodblock prints.



















