Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Teisai Hokuba in 1800.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Untitled

Teisai Hokuba , 1800

Untitled is an ink print by the Baroque artist Teisai Hokuba. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1800 by the Japanese printmaker Teisai Hokuba, this surimono woodblock work belongs to a small album of ink and color prints on paper. The piece is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is catalogued without a formal title.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures an intimate encounter between two figures. One figure stands, holding a striped parasol and a fan adorned with a red blossom, while the other kneels, leaning forward with a hand placed on the standing man’s leg. Their attire is unadorned and loose, suggesting a moment of quiet domestic or ritual interaction.

Technique & Style

Executed with traditional woodblock carving, the print combines black line work with modest washes of color—primarily soft reds, greens, and blues—applied over the inked surface. Fine cross‑hatching builds tonal depth, a hallmark of surimono where artists could experiment with delicate shading and decorative detail within a limited format.

History & Provenance

The Japanese script occupying the upper portion of the sheet appears to be a short poem, aligning with the genre’s customary blend of visual and literary art.

Surimono were often commissioned for special occasions and circulated among literati circles, frequently incorporating poetry. The Japanese script occupying the upper portion of the sheet appears to be a short poem, aligning with the genre’s customary blend of visual and literary art. The work entered the Metropolitan Museum’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, though the precise path of ownership before that remains undocumented.