Woman and Child
ca. 1793
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 14 5/8 in. (37.1 cm); W. 10 in. (25.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Samuel Isham, 1914
Accession Number
JP988
Tags
Art Historical Context
Kitagawa Utamaro'sWoman and Child* (ca. 1793) is a exquisite woodblock print Japan's Edo period (161–1868), capturing an intimate moment between a mother and nursing infant. Rendered in ink and color on paper, measuring 14 5/8 x 10 inches, this work exemplifies ukiyo-e, the "pictures of the floating world" genre that celebrated everyday beauty and transience. Utamaro, a master of bijin-ga (images of beautiful women), elevated such prints to high art through his delicate lines and vibrant palettes, produced via collaborative woodblock techniques where artists designed, carvers shaped blocks, an...
About the Artist
Kitagawa Utamaro · 1753–1806
Kitagawa Utamaro (c. 1753-1806) was one of the most celebrated masters of ukiyo-e woodblock printing, revolutionizing the art of bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) during Japan's Edo period. Born Kitagawa Ichitaro, his early life remains shrouded in mystery, with conflicting accounts placing his birth in Kyoto, Osaka, Yoshiwara in Edo (modern Tokyo), or Kawagoe in Musashi Province. Under the t...