Utagawa Kunisada, 'Akudama', Portrait Of A Folk Actor, 1855, unframed, 27,5 X 40 cm
 
Signed Toyokuni ga, published by Kiyo, censure seal 'aratame', format oban (tate-e)
 
In 1814 the first works began to appear by Kunisada's students, suggesting that by that time he had founded his own studio. When Toyokuni died in 1825, Kunisada was the only one to design memoral portraits for his teacher. Kunisada was the undisputed leading print artist of the late Edo period, heading the Utagawa school for almost 40 years. In the mid-1820's, he started to integrate landscape views into designs of beaties and actors, but only rarely created pure landschapes or flower and bird pictures. Actor prints were his forte, as we can see here, but he also produced many beauty prints as well as illustrations for books, including almost 60 erotic titles. 
 
After censurship regulations were liberalised in the late 1840s, actor prints enjoyed a resurgence and the market was effectively dominated by Kunisada in the 1850s and 1860s. He operated the largest studio of any print artist and had dozens of students including Kunichika, Kunisada II and Sadahide. 
 
Condition: a few minor stains, some thinning to the paper, laid down on a paper support (removable), in our opinion the item is in good condition.
 
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