"Kunisada (1786-1865), was in his own time was the most popular and successful print designer in Japan. This print shows two Kabuki actors Ichimura Uzaemon right and Nakamura Utaemon left, and dates from 1840 and forms part of my own private collection of original woodblock prints. Kunisada was born in Edo in 1786, he started out doing actor prints, the initial specialty of the Utagawa school, but eventually branched out into bijin-ga (beautiful women), and even also landscapes. During his lifetime, he produced a vast number of prints. He died in Edo, having made only one documented trip out of it in his whole life!"