Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is a silver painting by the Nihonga artist Shibata Zeshin. It dates from 1837 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Shibata Zeshin’s untitled work, executed in 1837, is a small-scale painting on an album leaf of lacquer applied to silver paper. The composition centers on a single black hand fan laid flat, its structural ribs highlighted in gold. The piece measures only a few centimeters, yet it commands attention through its precise rendering of an everyday object.
Subject & Meaning
The artwork presents a solitary hand fan, an object associated with personal adornment and seasonal change in Edo‑period Japan. By isolating the fan against a reflective silver background, Zeshin emphasizes its form and materiality, inviting contemplation of the mundane transformed into a quiet visual study.
Technique & Style
Zeshin employed genuine lacquer, the same sap traditionally used to coat wooden vessels, to achieve a glossy surface that mirrors light. The lacquer’s translucency renders the fan’s ribs in gold, creating a subtle three‑dimensional illusion. This method blurs the line between painting and miniature sculpture, showcasing the artist’s mastery of material.
History & Provenance
Created during the late Edo period, the piece reflects Zeshin’s experimentation with lacquer as a medium for fine art. It remains part of a private collection, having circulated among connoisseurs of Japanese decorative arts. Its survival on delicate album paper highlights both the fragility and enduring appeal of his lacquer works.
Artist & collection
