This is a painting based on the theme of Hachi no ki (Potted Plants) from the Nogaku Hyakuban (One Hundred Noh Plays) series by Kogyo Tsukioka. Tsukioka is a modern ukiyo-e artist well known for his Noh play paintings. The main character Tsuneyo has tried to keep the room warm for a monk (Regent Tokiyori Hojo) he invited in, and he has stepped forward to chop a tree. Similar to today’s Noh play, we see the shite-kata (main character) Tsuneyo standing behind the fake pine bonsai tree covered with cotton resembling snow to cut the branches off the tree. His wife Shirotae is sitting next to him.