Mando|子供遊に和賀 万度|Lantern Float
early 1800s
Medium
Woodblock print; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
H. 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm); W. 7 in. (17.8 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
JP964
Tags
Art Historical Context
This woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, created in the early 1800s during Japan’s Edo period, captures a lively scene of human figures and fish beneath a lantern float. Utamaro, celebrated for his ukiyo-e works that depicted everyday life with grace and observation, here turns his attention to a festive moment likely tied to children’s play and seasonal celebrations. The compact format, measuring just 9½ by 7 inches, reflects the intimate scale typical of prints meant for personal enjoyment rather than grand display. Produced through the collaborative woodblock technique—where artists, carv...
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...