A Woman Snatching a Bag of Sweetmeats from Her Mother
Original title: A Woman Snatching a Bag of Sweetmeats from Her MotHer
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro's colour woodblock print captures two women in traditional dress, one of them snatching a bag of sweets from the other. The undated sheet, made with ink and colours on paper, belongs to the Edo period.
Description
On the left, a figure kneels on the ground with hands outstretched, while on the right a person in dark robes holds tight to the bag of sweets. The layout is clearly structured, dominated by earthy tones with accents of orange and blue. A smaller scene in the background reveals a man with a sword approaching another figure. The draughtsmanship is precise, and the figures stand out distinctly from one another.
Context
Utamaro ranks among the leading masters of ukiyo-e and devoted himself mainly to portraying women. This print belongs to a series of woodblocks that capture scenes from everyday life in Edo. As inexpensive mass-produced items, such prints were affordable for a broad urban audience. The humorous take on an everyday situation follows the ukiyo-e ideal of capturing the fleeting nature of life in an image.
Impact
The lively interaction between the two women gives the sheet a dynamic yet cheerful effect. The restrained colouring and clear structure lend it a harmonious presence. The narrative gesture of the figures draws the viewer in directly.
Technique
For this woodblock print, the design was cut into a woodblock and then printed with ink and colours on paper. Each colour tone required its own block, so printing took place in several stages. The precise lines testify to the craftsmanship characteristic of ukiyo-e prints.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)