Mirror of the Ages - Published in 1897, Chikanobu's beautiful series "Mirror of the Ages" celebrates the beauty and fashions of women of the past. Each print in this delightful series features a single portrait of a young beauty, always carefully and stylishly made up, wearing the traditional contemporary fashion of her time. In the rectangular inset above the figure, Chikanobu has drawn a scene from the same time period suggesting a place where one might see this young beauty. This wonderful series was printed to the highest quality with fine line work and soft shading, and often with additional embellishments, such as delicate embossing or burnishing. A lovely series and collector's favorite.

The Shoho Era (1644 - 1648) - Lovely design of a young woman smiling happily as she looks over her shoulder. She holds a tasseled red cord in her hand and she wears a beautiful black kimono patterned with colorful daisy-like blossoms, the black areas burnished to a subtle sheen. Her long dark hair flows sleekly over her shoulder, with shorter locks in front of her ears. The inset above shows two samurai, one wearing a short coat with the dogtooth border associated with the 47 ronin. A charming portrait with very fine detail in the delicate eyelashes and tasseled cord.

Artist - Chikanobu (1838 - 1912)

Image Size - 8 1/2" x 13" + margins as shown

Condition - With excellent color and detail. Backed with old paper. Some toning or spotting at edges. Please see photos for details. Good overall.