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Scene from the play Sukeroku, The Cherry Blossom of Edo
Public domain

Scene from the play Sukeroku, The Cherry Blossom of Edo

Utagawa Kunisada (I) · 1862-03 · color woodcut; paper

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

Many Kabuki scenes transpire in a brothel, like the one here. Sukeroku is looking for a stolen sword. He suspects a wealthy, elderly customer whose eye has fallen on Sukeroku's girlfriend, the courtesan Agemaki. Sukeroku insults the man grievously by offering him a pipe with his foot in the hope that he will draw his sword in anger.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Subjects
printbrothelpipe ~ tobaccocourtesan, hetaera
Credit lineScene from the play Sukeroku, The Cherry Blossom of Edo. 1862-03. Utagawa Kunisada (I). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
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