Untitled
The Met
Artist: Unkoku Tōetsu(Japanese, active second half 17th century)
Date: late 17th century
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
Dimensions: Image: 38 11/16 × 18 5/8 in. (98.2 × 47.3 cm) Overall with mounting: 73 3/16 × 19 1/2 in. (185.9 × 49.5 cm) Overall with knobs: 73 3/16 × 21 7/16 in. (185.9 × 54.5 cm)
Credit Line: Seymour Fund, 1957
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Two horses, one rearing and one standing, rendered in ink wash on a light scroll
Detailed Description
This vertical scroll painting features two horses rendered in ink wash on a light, aged background. The artwork is framed by narrow, light brown borders at the top and bottom. The main pictorial area is a pale, off-white or beige color, showing subtle variations in tone consistent with an old paper or silk surface. Two horses dominate the lower half of the composition, depicted with fluid brushstrokes of black and gray ink. The horse on the left is positioned higher and appears to be rearing, with its front legs lifted and its body angled slightly to the right. Its form is defined by strong black outlines, while its mane and head are filled with lighter gray washes, giving them a textured appearance. Its head is turned towards the right. To the right and slightly below, the second horse stands with all four legs on the ground, facing forward and slightly to the left. Like the first, its body is outlined in dark ink, with its mane and head rendered in soft gray washes. Both horses have shaggy manes, and their forms suggest movement. The ground beneath them is minimally suggested by light gray washes and a few short, dark vertical strokes, possibly indicating sparse vegetation. In the lower left corner, a small, rectangular red seal with indistinct characters is visible. The upper half of the scroll remains largely blank, providing ample negative space above the figures.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
