Mother and Child

ca. 1793
Not on view
Utamaro composed this image with considerable skill and humor, creating a circular movement through gazes and gestures. The mother, seated behind a freestanding screen, sticks out her tongue at her child. When the child responds to her reflection with an outstretched hand, another woman reacts with laughter and grasps the child's belt.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Mother and Child
  • Artist: Kitagawa Utamaro (Japanese, ca. 1754–1806)
  • Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
  • Date: ca. 1793
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
  • Dimensions: H. 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm); W. 9 7/8 in. (25.1 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Fletcher Fund, 1929
  • Object Number: JP1526
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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