Yamauba Playing with Kintarō

Yamauba Playing with Kintarō

Kitagawa Utamaro

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Utamaro created numerous scenes featuring mothers and children. These prints are among the more than thirty that portray the relationship between the spirit Yamauba (or Yamanba) and her adopted son, Kintarō (or Kintoki). Discovered by Yamauba and raised in a forest, the boy grows up to be a legendary hero.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Yamauba Playing with KintarōYamauba Playing with KintarōYamauba Playing with KintarōYamauba Playing with KintarōYamauba Playing with Kintarō

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.