Untitled
The Met
Artist: Shibata Zeshin(Japanese, 1807–1891)
Date: 19th century
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Dimensions: Image: 59 1/8 × 13 7/8 in. (150.2 × 35.2 cm) Overall with mounting: 59 1/8 × 13 7/8 in. (150.2 × 35.2 cm) Overall with knobs: 60 × 15 7/8 in. (152.4 × 40.3 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of Florence and Herbert Irving, 2019
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
A dark fish swims upwards through a cascading white waterfall, with patterned panels in the background
Detailed Description
The artwork is a vertical composition, primarily featuring a large waterfall and a fish. The upper portion of the image reveals a background composed of several vertical panels. On the left, a narrow, light brown panel is visible, partially obscured by the waterfall. To its right, a wider, solid dark brown panel extends downwards. Further right, another narrow, light brown panel with subtle gold patterns is visible, followed by a wider dark brown panel. Below these brown panels, on the right side, a vibrant blue panel with intricate gold floral and swirling patterns is partially visible, framed by a narrow, light brown border with gold patterns. The dominant feature is a massive, cascading waterfall, rendered in shades of white and light gray with dark outlines, which shows depth and movement. The waterfall originates from the top left and flows diagonally downwards towards the bottom right, occupying the majority of the central and left portions of the image. Within the frothy white expanse of the waterfall, a dark-bodied fish is depicted swimming upwards. The fish has a distinct eye, visible scales, and fins, rendered in dark gray and black tones. Its body is partially obscured by the swirling water, appearing submerged. The lower section of the artwork is largely a plain, light beige or cream color, with the waterfall fading into it. In the bottom left corner, there is a small area of black calligraphic text and a red square seal impression.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
