Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink painting. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, catalogued without a formal title, is an album leaf executed with ink and color on silk.
About this work
Overview
The work, catalogued without a formal title, is an album leaf executed with ink and color on silk. It belongs to the museum’s collection of paintings and is displayed at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The piece presents a compact, narrative scene rendered on a delicate support, characteristic of East Asian miniature formats.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a group of men gathered beside a cascading waterfall within a stylised Korean landscape. The figures appear engaged in an activity, perhaps travel or ritual, set against the natural drama of water and rock, suggesting themes of human interaction with the environment.
Technique & Style
The artist combines traditional ink brushwork with applied pigments on a silk substrate, a material more common in Chinese and Korean painting than in Western practice. The silk’s translucency allows subtle tonal variations, while the ink outlines define form, creating a balance between line and wash.
History & Provenance
The leaf is part of an album, a format used for collecting illustrative scenes. Its acquisition by the Metropolitan Museum of Art places it within a broader collection of Asian works, though specific details of its creation date and original ownership remain undocumented.
Artist & collection
