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 Kenmu Era (1334 - 1337) - Beautiful image of a court lady in a traveling costume. She wears a burnished black lacquer hat with delicate silk veils hanging down to shield her face from dust and insects during the journey. Her lavender robe features a subtle floral motif in a lighter shade, and the white collar is embossed with a geometric pattern. Wonderful handling of color to indicate the soft changes in color beneath the beauty's veil, which is beautifully printed with an embossed cloth pattern. The inset above shows children playfully chased by a dog. One of the loveliest images from this series.

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.