Nakamura Noshio II as Tonase

Illustrating a scene from the Chñshingura play, performed in 1795, this print depicts Nakamura Noshio II in the role of Tonase, the stepmother of Konami and the wife of Kakogawa Honzø. One of only a few female characters in the play, Tonase, although completely fictional, is an extremely important role. She appears in act 8 and act 9 as a caring mother who is determined to save her stepdaughter's engagement. Wearing a pink agebøshi, a headdress used by a woman to protect their coiffures when they venture outdoor, this print may represent a scene from act 8, a dance sequence in which the mother and daughter travel to the fiancé's home.