Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting by the Baroque artist Ogata Kōrin. It dates from 1704 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1704, this hanging scroll by Ogata Kōrin presents a single figure rendered in ink on paper. The composition centers on Budai, the jovial Buddhist monk often identified as the laughing Buddha, whose rotund form and smiling expression dominate the narrow vertical format.
Subject & Meaning
Budai is portrayed with a large belly, a sack slung over his shoulder, and a wide grin that engages the viewer directly. The figure embodies the Buddhist ideals of abundance and contentment, while Kōrin’s choice of this subject reflects the Rinpa school’s occasional turn toward religious iconography.
Technique & Style
Kōrin employs delicate, almost translucent brushwork; in many areas the ink appears as a faint trace, suggesting a barely‑touched brush. The surrounding space is left largely empty, punctuated only by minimal strokes suggesting rocks and a solitary tree, a compositional strategy that emphasizes negative space and quietude typical of Japanese ink painting.
History & Provenance
The scroll belongs to Kōrin’s broader oeuvre, which includes celebrated screen paintings such as *Irises* and *Red and White Plum Blossoms*. Though primarily known for his work in lacquerware, ceramics, and decorative arts, this piece demonstrates his versatility within the Rinpa tradition during the early eighteenth century.
Context
Within the Rinpa school, artists often combined bold patterning with refined craftsmanship. By allocating most of the paper to empty space, Kōrin aligns with a Japanese aesthetic that values the expressive potential of void, allowing the figure of Budai to stand out against an understated backdrop.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ogata Kōrin (Japanese: 尾形光琳; 1658 – June 2, 1716) was a Japanese landscape illustrator, lacquerer, painter, and textile designer of the Rinpa School.
