The Actors Ichikawa Danjuro VIII and Segawa Kikunojo V

Although Hiroshige was best known for his landscapes, he also designed some kabuki subjects, including this privately published surimono print. Surimono were created for the members of poetry clubs, who exchanged them with other clubs. Because they were printed in small runs and for a private sponsor, these prints were often made from very finely carved blocks, employing deluxe techniques such as embossing and materials such as metallic pigments. Two verses from the poetry club are included in the upper left corner of this composition.