Public domain
Two actors at New Year's decoration
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
A young man in formal dress and folded fan (child-actor Ichikawa Ebizô VI (1823-54)), looks back at a woman with New Year decoration in her hand (actor Segawa Kikonojô V (1802-32) in an unknown female role). The decoration consists of fern leaf, pine branches, daidai orange and a red crayfish, all symbols for a long life: the pine tree always stays green, the curved crayfish refers to the curved back of old people and means 'daidai' from generation to generation. With three poems, one by Segawa Kikunojô V: How nice it is to be born in the grand city of Edo, The spring is full of flowers.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineTwee acteurs bij Nieuwjaarsdecoratie. 1830. Utagawa Kuniyasu. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
