Actors Kataoka Gado II as Florist (Hanaya) Tokubei (R) and Nakamura Daikichi III as Tokubei's Wife (Tsuma) Ofusa (L)

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century Japanese theater this striking color woodblock print by Utagawa Kunada I (also known as Toyokuni), created in 1855. The artwork captures two kabuki stars in dynamic roles: Kataoka Gadō II as the floristubei on the right, and Nakamuraikichi III as his Ofusa on the left Kunisada, a master of the uki-e ("pictures of the floating world"), specialized in yakusha-e—prints portraying actors—which brought the drama of Edo-period stage performances to everyday viewers. Produced during the late Edo era, just before Japan's modernization, this nishiki-e (broca...

About the Artist

Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864

Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...