Artwork preview

Starlings on a Branch

Kawanabe Kyōsai 河鍋暁斎

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The painting depicts two starlings on a branch. The dominant starling is black with a white patch on its neck, standing on a branch with one leg. Its beak is open. A smaller gray starling with a white belly and dark tail and wings is flying away from the branch to the left. The branch has sparse leaves. The background of the painting is light brown. There are additional leaves and branches around the perimeter. A red seal is in the bottom left corner, accompanied by some black Japanese characters.

Artwork Details

Date
ca. 1887
Medium
Album leaf; ink and color on silk
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
461 × 624 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette