The Prostitute Agemaki, the Ruffian Hero Sukeroku, and Hige no Ikyū, c. 1798-1800
Kitagawa Utamaro; Publisher: Yamaguchiya Chūsukeexpand_more
Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paperexpand_more
Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.expand_more 81.133.238
Not on Viewexpand_more
The game played here is kazu-ken, a numbers game that originated in China. In this game, players make numbers from zero to five with their right hands, while predicting and then calling out the combined number from all players. The loser has to drink a cup of sake.
This is a visual parody of the Kabuki play Sukeroku’s Affinity for Edo Cherry Blossoms (Sukeroku yukari no Edo zakura), but none of the three figures is a Kabuki actor. The story of the play centers on the love affair between the prostitute Agemaki and the dashing dandy Sukeroku, who is playing with his rival Ikyū (left).
Details
- Title
- The Prostitute Agemaki, the Ruffian Hero Sukeroku, and Hige no Ikyū
- Artist Life
- 1753 - 1806
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 81.133.238
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
800px
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.
Error loading high resolution image. Report this problem.