Agemaki 揚巻

A subject of *ukiyo-e 浮世絵, especially of *mitate-e 見立て絵 and actor prints *yakusha-e 役者絵; based on the *kabuki 歌舞伎 play *Sukeroku 助六. Agemaki is a courtesan of the Miuraya 三浦屋 in the *Yoshiwara 吉原 district of Edo, and is rescued by her lover, the hero Sukeroku, from the clutches of the evil Ikyū 意休. The character is thought to be based on a historical figure, the courtesan Agemaki of the Shimabara 島原 district in Kyoto, who committed suicide together with her lover. In art, Agemaki typically is shown sitting at the front of the brothel, wearing a gorgeous outer-kimono 着物, uchikake 打掛け, embroidered with gold and silver.