Untitled
The Met
Artist: Shibata Zeshin(Japanese, 1807–1891)
Department: Asian Art
Classification: Paintings
Medium: Album leaf; lacquer on gold paper
Dimensions: 4 3/4 x 3 1/2 in. (12.1 x 8.9 cm)
Credit Line: The Howard Mansfield Collection, Purchase, Rogers Fund, 1936
Visual Descriptions
AI GeneratedVisual Summary
Brief Description
Red-orange persimmons and a wasp nest on a branch above a brown fence, gold background
Detailed Description
The artwork is a vertical rectangular composition with a gold background. In the upper left quadrant, a dark brown branch extends diagonally downwards and to the right, featuring several round, red-orange fruits, resembling persimmons, and dark green, oval-shaped leaves. The fruits are depicted with subtle variations in red-orange color. To the right of the branch, in the upper-middle section, a large, textured, brown wasp nest hangs. It has a rounded, somewhat irregular shape, with visible layers and a darker, more complex opening at its bottom. A small, dark insect, possibly a wasp, is depicted near the lower part of the nest, appearing to be either entering or exiting. In the upper right corner, vertical black calligraphic characters are present, reading "是小", beneath which is a small, square red seal. The lower half of the composition is dominated by a dense, reddish-brown, textured pattern that resembles a woven fence or a thatched structure. This pattern consists of numerous short, vertical, parallel brushstrokes in varying shades of dark red and brown. The varying shades and parallel brushstrokes create visual depth and texture. The top edge of this structure forms a diagonal line, rising from the lower left corner towards the middle right side of the image. The gold background is visible above this structure and around the branch and nest, providing a visual contrast to the darker elements.
Generated by gemini-2.5-flash
