Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by the Baroque artist Torii Kiyomasu I. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1730, this woodblock print by Torii Kiyomasu I is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection. Executed with ink and color on paper, the work presents a solitary figure against a stylized palm tree, rendered in the bold palette characteristic of early Edo-period commercial prints.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a man in a vivid red‑yellow kimono patterned with stylized flowers. He holds a sword in his right hand and a drum in his left, turning his head toward the left. The combination of weapon and musical instrument, along with his poised stance, suggests a portrayal of a cultured warrior or performer, embodying both martial authority and artistic refinement.
Technique & Style
Kiyomasu employs the traditional ukiyo‑e woodblock method, carving separate blocks for each color and aligning them to produce crisp outlines and saturated hues. The print’s strong contours, flat areas of bright pigment, and decorative floral motifs reflect the Torii school’s emphasis on theatrical subjects and commercial appeal, while the palm tree’s simplified foliage adds an exotic decorative element.
History & Provenance
The print, dated to the early 1730s, originates from the prolific Torii workshop that supplied imagery for Edo’s kabuki theatres. It entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings through a 20th‑century acquisition, where it remains catalogued as an example of early ukiyo‑e printmaking and the visual culture of the Tokugawa period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Torii Kiyomasu was the shop name of a printmaker in Edo—modern Tokyo—who spent his short career plastering the city with bold, eye-catching posters.
