Onoe Hujaku as Hosokawa Katsumasa (尾上芙雀 細川勝政)

New Year's Day was a major event for the people in Edo period. This work depicts an actor playing a character called Hosokawa Katsumasa(細川勝政). The image is surrounded by framed decorations with words celebrating the New Year. The poem on the screen mentions Hatsuzakura (初桜, first cherry blossoms), he also has cherry blossoms in his hands and his hakama(袴, a long pleated skirt worn over a kimono) is also coloured pink. Pink is now recognised as a feminine colour and in many cultures, but this perception did not become widespread until around 1920-30. In this piece, the fresh image of the New Year may be expressed in the colour pink by Hatsuzakura.