Begonias of Mount Ashigara (Ashigarayama no shukaido): Bando Hikosaburo V as Yamauba, from the series "Contemporary Versions of Thirty-six Selected Flowers (Tosei mitate sanjurokkasen)"

Art Historical Context

In the vibrant world of 19th-century Japanese ukiyo-e, Utagawa Kunisada (also known as Toyokuni) crafted this exquisite color woodblock print in 1862. Titled *Begonias of Mountigara (Ashigarayama no shukaido): Bando Hikosaburo V as Yamauba*, it belongs to the series *Contemporary of Thirty-six Selected FlowersTosei mitate sanjurokkasen)*. This playful mitate—or analogy—reimagines the classical *Thirty-six Immortals of Poetry* by pairing flowers with celebrated kabuki actors, blending floral beauty with theatrical portraiture during the late Edo period. The print features kabuki star Bando Hikosaburo V in the role of Yamauba, the fearsome yet maternal mountain witch from folklore. Kunisada's mastery shines in the dynamic pose, expressive face, and lush begonias evoking Mount Ashigara's misty slopes. Produced as a chirimen-e, or crepe-textured print, its crinkled paper creates a tactile, shimmering effect under light—originally a novelty for export to the West, highlighting ukiyo-e's global appeal just before Japan's Meiji-era opening. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia collection, this work captures kabuki's cultural dominance and ukiyo-e's technical innovation, offering visitors a window into Japan's floating world of art, theater, and nature's poetry.

About the Artist

Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) · 1786–1864

Utagawa Kunisada I, also known as Toyokuni III (1786–1865), was born Sumida Shōgorō in the Honjo district of Edo (modern Tokyo) into a family that operated a hereditary ferry-boat service, providing stability after his father's early death. Displaying prodigious talent in drawing from childhood, he became an apprentice to the master Utagawa Toyokuni I around 1801 at age fifteen, entering the prest...