14 Utagawa Kunisada 1786 – 1865 Kanaya: Actor Bandō Shūka I as Asagao

from the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō Road (Tōkaidō gojūsan tsugi no uchi)
signature: Toyokuni ga (within the toshidama cartouche)
publisher: Sumiyoshiya Masagorō

Actor Bandō Shūka I (1815–1855) is portrayed in the female role of Asagao, the heroine of the romantic tale The Story of the Morning Glory (Asagao monogatari). Asagao, the noble daughter of a court official, embodies the ideal of graceful melancholy and steadfast devotion — themes deeply rooted in Japanese aesthetics. In the background lies the Kanaya station on the Tōkaidō road, with the bridge over the Ōi River and Mount Fuji rising beyond. This composition harmoniously combines kabuki portraiture with a lyrical landscape, exemplifying Kunisada’s late-period mastery and his dialogue with Hiroshige’s poetic vision of Japan.