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 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.

About this work

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.

Subject & Meaning

The work brings together Yama‑uba, a mountain witch from Japanese folklore, and Kintarō, the strong boy raised among bears. Their playful encounter—Yama‑uba cradling the boy while he clutches her sleeve—softens the traditionally fearsome reputation of the spirit, suggesting a moment of tenderness and the merging of mythic and everyday realms.

Technique & Style

Utamaro employs the nishiki-e method, layering multiple carved blocks to achieve subtle hues and delicate gradations. Soft pinks and muted greens convey the fleeting cherry blossoms, while flowing line work defines the figures’ garments and the boy’s round face. The overall effect is gentle and lyrical, contrasting with the more dramatic chiaroscuro found in earlier ukiyo‑e prints.

History & Provenance

The print belongs to Utamaro’s later period, when he explored narrative subjects beyond his famed bijin-ga portraits. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the piece has appeared in several museum collections of Edo‑period prints, confirming its attribution to Utamaro and its circulation among connoisseurs of early Japanese woodblock art.