Utamaro Kitagawa

We are looking at the folk hero Kintaro as a boy with a red face and the mountain witch, Yamauba. According to legend, Kintaro was entrusted to Yamauba's care when still a child. The relationship between the two differs in the many variants of the story and ultimately it remains unclear, as is the case in this print. Although it could be a maternal kiss, Kintaro's haunted gaze leaves it open to interpretation.