Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by the Baroque artist Ishikawa Toyonobu. It dates from 1738 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1738 by the Japanese woodblock artist Nishimura Shigenobu, this untitled print is executed in ink and color on paper. The work is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It presents a solitary figure in traditional attire, seated on a low stool, surrounded by foliage and rendered in a restrained palette of earth tones accented with gold and black.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure, clothed in historic robes, holds a fan in one hand and a flowering branch in the other, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation or a ritual gesture. The surrounding flora and the calm posture convey a serene interaction with nature, typical of Edo‑period imagery that often linked personal refinement with natural settings.
Technique & Style
Shigenobu employs the woodblock medium’s characteristic sharp lines to delineate the figure’s patterned garments, while cross‑hatching creates subtle texture on the surrounding plants. The use of bold, repetitive designs on the clothing reflects the decorative conventions of early 18th‑century Japanese prints, and the limited color scheme emphasizes tonal harmony over vivid contrast.
History & Provenance
The print dates to the mid‑1730s, a period when ukiyo‑e production was expanding beyond popular actor and landscape subjects. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection through acquisition in the early 20th century, providing a representative example of Nishimura Shigenobu’s lesser‑known oeuvre within the museum’s Asian prints holdings.
Context
During the Edo period, woodblock prints served both as decorative art and as visual documentation of contemporary fashions and customs. This work reflects the era’s interest in portraying refined leisure activities, such as the use of fans and flower‑arranging, and aligns with the broader aesthetic of understated elegance that characterized many prints of the time.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ishikawa Toyonobu spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he carved and printed the everyday scenes of city life.
