Artwork
Untitled
Untitled is an ink drawing by Yasuo Kuniyoshi. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1922, this ink drawing by Yasuo Kuniyoshi is part of the Museum of Modern Art’s collection. Rendered in black and white, the work presents a quiet rural tableau that captures a moment of interaction between a laborer and a cow within a cultivated field.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a man in a hat and overalls standing beside a cow, his right hand holding a rope tied to the animal’s neck. Both figures face each other, suggesting a cooperative relationship. The surrounding flora—grass, wildflowers, and other plants—enhances the sense of a harmonious, agrarian environment.
Technique & Style
Executed with ink on paper, the drawing relies on bold, confident lines and subtle shading to convey volume and texture. Kuniyoshi’s approach balances simplicity with detail: the figures are outlined with clear contours, while cross‑hatching and tonal variations give depth to the field and the animals’ forms.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced in the early 1920s, a period when Kuniyoshi was establishing his reputation in the United States. It entered the Museum of Modern Art’s holdings at an unspecified date and remains catalogued under its generic title, Untitled, reflecting the artist’s focus on subject over nomenclature.
Artist & collection
Artist
Yasuo Kuniyoshi was a Japanese-American painter, photographer and printmaker.
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Untitled
Herd of Cattle
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Køkkenhave med dreng
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A figure seated between two baskets, and a cow
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