Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Yashima Gakutei. It is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This Edo‑period woodblock print, executed in the surimono tradition, presents a solitary carp with dark scales settled in a murky pool.
About this work
Overview
This Edo‑period woodblock print, executed in the surimono tradition, presents a solitary carp with dark scales settled in a murky pool. Rendered in ink and color on paper, the image balances a restrained palette with meticulous line work, creating a vivid yet understated representation of the fish within its watery environment.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is a carp, a creature often associated with perseverance and transformation in Japanese symbolism. By placing the animal in still, muddy water, the composition invites contemplation of quiet endurance, suggesting a moment of stillness before the fish’s legendary leap.
Technique & Style
Yashima Gakutei employed the precise carving and printing methods characteristic of surimono, allowing for fine detail in the carp’s scales and subtle gradations of ink. The use of limited color accents enhances the naturalistic effect while maintaining the decorative elegance typical of Edo‑period prints.
History & Provenance
Commissioned for a social club in Kamige, the print reflects the private, often celebratory nature of surimono works. It entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where curators have identified it as a prime example of fish-themed surimono, illustrating the genre’s technical and thematic range.
Artist & collection
Artist
Yashima Gakutei (Japanese: 八島岳亭; c. 1786 – 1868) was a Japanese artist and poet who was a pupil of both Totoya Hokkei and Hokusai. Gakutei is best known for his kyōka poetry and surimono works.
「一陽連文房四友 硯 伯英」『春雨集』 摺物帖|The Chinese Calligrapher Boying (Japanese: Hakuei; also known as the “Sage of Cursive Script”); “Inkstone” (Suzuri), from Four Friends of the Writing Table for the Ichiyō Poetry Circle (Ichiyō-ren Bunbō shiyū) From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1
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Osaka Tenmangu sairei no zu|The Tenmangu Festival at Osaka
「一陽連文房四友 筆 道風」『春雨集』 摺物帖|The Heian Court Calligrapher Ono no Tōfū (894–966); “Calligraphy Brush” (Fude), from Four Friends of the Writing Table for the Ichiyō Poetry Circle (Ichiyō-ren Bunbō shiyū)From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1
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『和歌三神』 柿本人麻呂|Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (ca. 662–710), One of the Three Gods of PoetryFrom the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1
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「一陽連文房四友 紙 女凢」『春雨集』 摺物帖 |Nuji (Japanese: Joki; female attendant who compiled writings by Daoist sages); “Paper” (Kami), from Four Friends of the Writing Table for the Ichiyō Poetry Circle (Ichiyō-ren Bunbō shiyū)From the Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 1
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Carp and Waterweeds
鯉の滝登り|Red Carp Ascending a Waterfall
Untitled
Untitled
魚づくし ぼらにうど|Bora Fish with Camellia, from the series Uozukushi (Every Variety of Fish)
鮭頭|Head of a Salmon
魚づくし ひらめ めばるに桜|Hirame and Mebaru Fish with Cherry Blossoms, from the series Uozukushi (Every Variety of Fish)
Carp Swimming by Water Weeds
Carp
Untitled
Carp Ascending a Waterfall