Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Tōshū in 1794.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Untitled

Tōshū , 1794

Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Tōshū. It dates from 1794 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

If you like how the ink builds emotion in bold lines, look up *ukiyo-e*—the style of Japanese woodblock prints.

This print shows an actor mid-scene, his face twisted in an exaggerated scowl. His white makeup cracks with sweat, and his black wig looks almost alive.

Sharaku made these actor portraits for just ten months in 1794, then vanished. No one knows why he stopped or who he really was. The prints were cheap souvenirs, not meant to last—yet here they are, 200 years later.

If you like how the ink builds emotion in bold lines, look up *ukiyo-e*—the style of Japanese woodblock prints.

Overview

Untitled is a woodblock print created by Tōshūsai Sharaku in 1794, featuring a portrait of the actor Bando Zenji.

Subject & Meaning

The print captures an actor in a dramatic moment, his face contorted in a scowl, with cracked white makeup and a dynamic black wig.

Technique & Style

The work exemplifies the ukiyo-e style, characterized by bold lines and expressive use of ink and color, with added white mica for visual effect.

History & Provenance

Sharaku's output was limited to a ten-month period in 1794, after which he ceased producing work and his identity remained unknown. The prints were originally intended as ephemeral souvenirs.