Shinsuke Katsuragi is an impoverished artist specializing in *nishiki-e* (woodblock prints) who has a young second wife named Misayo. One day, an art dealer named Otaguro visits them; he asks Shinsuke to create *makura-e* (erotic prints) that will sell well and leaves behind a collection of *shunga* (erotic art) for him to study...