Original woodblock print of Utagawa Kunisada from the Edo period Title: Nakamura Shigeyu Date: Edo period (original) Painting: Utagawa Kunisada (Utagawa Toyokuni III) Signature: Toyokuni-painted Type: Woodblock print Utagawa Size: 37*25cm Utagawa Toyokuni III (1786-1865), a Utagawa artist of the Edo period. His real name was Kakuta Shogoro, and he used various pseudonyms including Gotatei, Kochoro, and Ichiyusai. He studied under the first Utagawa Toyokuni, adopting the name Utagawa Kunisada. After his teacher's death, he inherited the title of head of the Utagawa school, calling himself the second Utagawa Toyokuni. Later, because the adopted son of the first Toyokuni inherited the title of the second Toyokuni, scholars referred to Utagawa Kunisada as the third Utagawa Toyokuni in the history of Utagawa to avoid confusion. Utagawa Kunisada was also a key figure in the Ukiyo-e school of the late Edo period, inheriting and developing the artistic style of the Utagawa school. He was one of the most active, prolific, and popular Ukiyo-e artists of the 19th century, reportedly producing over 10,000 works, many of which still survive today. His fame once surpassed that of Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Kuniyoshi. Nakamura Shigetaka, whose identity is unknown, is a recurring character in the actor prints of Ukiyo-e masters. Kuniyoshi and Kunisada both painted many works featuring him. This work is one of Kunisada's paintings and is likely part of a triptych.