Who painted 山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry?

山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry was painted by Kitagawa Utamaro in ca. 1795.

Where can I see 山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry?

山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry?

山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry

Kitagawa Utamaro , 1795

山姥と金太郎|Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Accession no.: JP1438
Credit line: Rogers Fund, 1922

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts the woman and the young boy interacting with a cherry, a specific botanical element identified as Alkekengi officinarum.

This 1795 woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro illustrates a scene from Japanese folklore featuring the mountain witch Yama-uba and the legendary child hero Kintarō. The composition depicts the woman and the young boy interacting with a cherry, a specific botanical element identified as Alkekengi officinarum.

The work serves as a visual representation of these two iconic figures, categorizing the image within the ukiyo-e genre. By portraying the mythical mountain hag alongside the celebrated strong child, the print captures a narrative moment centered on their relationship and interaction with the natural world.

Technique & Style

Created in 1795, Yamauba and Kintarō Playing with a Cherry is a woodblock print executed in the nishiki-e technique. The work utilizes ink and color applied to paper support, characteristic of the ukiyo-e genre. Measuring 38.3 cm in height and 25.1 cm in width, the piece depicts the figures of Yama-uba and Kintarō alongside a child and the Alkekengi officinarum plant. The composition relies on the layered printing methods typical of Kitagawa Utamaro's output during this period.

History & Provenance

Created in 1795 by the artist Kitagawa Utamaro, this work is identified as a woodblock print (nishiki-e) executed in ink and color on paper. While one source characterizes the piece broadly as a painting within the ukiyo-e genre, the specific medium is confirmed as a print. The work currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Physical records indicate the sheet measures 38.3 cm in height and 25.1 cm in width. No further details regarding specific commissions, previous ownership chains, or the circumstances of its creation are provided in the available records.

Overview

Created around 1795 by the Edo-period artist Kitagawa Utamaro, this nishiki-e woodblock print presents a domestic scene in which a mountain spirit and a legendary child figure interact beneath drifting cherry blossoms. Executed in ink and color on paper, the composition balances narrative content with decorative elegance, characteristic of late‑18th‑century Japanese prints.