Nakamura Utaemon I as Karashi Baba and Yoshizawa Sakinosuke III as Shirotae
Katsukawa Shunsho
About 1769
Medium
Color woodblock print; hosoban
Dimensions
30.6 × 14.6 cm (12 3/16 × 5 3/4 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
21985
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
The night sky provides a striking black backdrop for falling snow in this violent scene from the play The Ever-Blooming Potted Tree. Here, the old hag Karashi Baba is about to murder the defenseless Shirotae. This play, with its winter setting, was a popular Kabuki season opener performed in December.