Artwork

風流六玉川 山城 近江 摂津|Women and Children on the Banks of a Stream

風流六玉川 山城 近江 摂津|Women and Children on the Banks of a Stream, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ink, 1780
風流六玉川 山城 近江 摂津|Women and Children on the Banks of a Stream, by Kitagawa Utamaro, ink, 1780

風流六玉川 山城 近江 摂津|Women and Children on the Banks of a Stream is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Kitagawa Utamaro. It dates from 1780 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1780 by the Edo‑period printmaker Kitagawa Utamō, this three‑panel woodblock work depicts a tranquil riverside scene populated by women and children. Executed in ink and color on paper, the composition is now part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Subject & Meaning

The panels present everyday leisure along a gently rippling stream: two elegantly dressed women stand or kneel, another holds a fan, while a child engages with a small animal. The figures are arranged in casual poses that suggest a moment of quiet domestic activity, reflecting the genre tradition of portraying ordinary life.

Technique & Style

Utamō employs flat areas of pink, green and earthy brown, outlined with bold black lines that define forms without the use of chiaroscuro. The simple geometric shapes and clear contours give each figure a distinct presence, while the minimal background of bushes and distant hills situates the scene without overwhelming it.

History & Provenance

The triptych was produced as a commercial print in the late eighteenth century, a period when ukiyo‑e images of fashionable society were in high demand. After circulating in Japan, the work entered the Western art market and was eventually acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on display.

Artist & collection