Comments - Handsome kabuki scene from the play "Asagao Monogatari" (Diary of a Morning Glory) featuring Onoe Kikujiro II as Akizuki's Daughter Miyuki and Nakamura Fukusuke I as Miyagi Asojiro. The couple fell in love after meeting briefly when Asojiro wrote a poem about morning glories on her fan. Sadly, events kept them apart and the distraught Miyuki became blind from weeping, changing her name to Asagao, which means morning glory. Here, the beauty tilts her head coyly as she smiles up at the samurai, her kimono decorated with morning glories. Asojiro grins happily as he pauses with a brush in hand while composing his poem, a fan with morning glories on it in his other hand. At upper left, fireflies glow in a hanging insect cage. Nice large expressive figures, detailed with embossing on the white kimono collar and fan, and a burnished screen pattern on the side of the cage. The first time we've seen this subject.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 14 1/8" x 10" + top margin as shown

Condition - This print with good detail as shown. A couple small repairs, a few creases and spots. Please see photos for details.