Kanaya: Bando Shuka I as Asagao - Charming portrait of Bando Shuka I as Asagao in the kabuki drama commonly known as "Asagao Nikki" (Morning Glory Diary). She falls in love with samurai Asojiro when their boats pass and they exchange poems written on fans, his, a verse about morning glories. She is later overcome with sadness at being parted from her lover, and her weeping causes her to go blind. She runs away from home, begging her living as a blind musician playing the koto, changing her name from Miyuki to Asagao. While playing at an inn, she encounters Asojiro again. Here, she smiles coyly, tilting her head and clasping her hands together with koto picks still on her fingers. She wears a black and gray kimono patterned with pink blossoms and delicate leaves over a red robe with a blue tie-dyed collar. In her hair she wears a cluster of morning glories. The view above shows a wide river with sandy peninsulas stretching into the distance with mountains on the horizon. The title cartouche at upper right includes a fan decorated with morning glories, a poem, a koto, and a shamisen wrapped in cloth. A handsome design with fine line work in the hair and soft bokashi shading.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 14 1/4" x 9 3/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Thinning at edge, a few small holes, repaired. Faint toning, slight soiling, a few creases. Please see photos for details. Good overall.