Untitled

Utagawa Toyoharu

18th century · Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk · Asian Art

Toyoharu, the founder of the Utagawa school, depicted women more often in paintings than in prints. The gentle elegance of his images of women is also seen in works by other artists of the late eighteenth century. Here, a boy entertains his younger brother by hiding in the layers of their mother's kimono while she tries to hold onto the wriggling child. The playful, swirling movement of the three figures reflects the pleasant festivities of the New Year season, represented by the pine and bamboo decoration in the background.

Artist

Utagawa Toyoharu

Date

18th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Charles Stewart Smith Collection, Gift of Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Charles Stewart Smith Jr., and Howard Caswell Smith, in memory of Charles Stewart Smith, 1914