Toyokuni III
Futagawa: (Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as) Ishikawa Tomoichi, from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tôkaidô Road
Toyokuni III's 1852 series "The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido" pairs kabuki portraits with the stations along the famous Tokaido Road. Each design features a half-length figure in the foreground, with a border of clouds separating the actor from the landscape above. Interestingly, the title cartouche of each print is framed by different objects related to the kabuki character or play, including armor and weapons, household objects, flowers, horse equipment, and traveler's clothing and baggage. The large expressive characters are beautifully drawn and detailed, with fine line work in the hair and soft bokashi shading in the backgrounds.
Date: 1852
Engravers: Yokokawa Takejirô (Hori Take)
Publisher: Iseya Kanekichi