Comments - Fantastic kabuki triptych depicting a man discovering the true nature of a beauty when her image is reflected in a mirror. Grasping her by the wrist, he thrusts the hand mirror in front of her. Inside of a sweet face, the image reflected is of a horrible leering demon with sharp fangs and bulging yellow eyes. The woman continues to look at him with a meek smile, her eyebrows raised in confusion. She wears a pretty blue kimono patterned with blossoms and tied with a striped obi. Her hair is pulled back into a sleek bun adorned with a red lacquer comb and ribbons. The man wears a heavy brown robe, a string of prayer beads draped over one wrist. His graying hair is combed smoothly back from his face. A diagonal line separates the pair from a scene of a couple holding hands at left, the beauty smiling serenely as she looks down. The actor in the center panel is Sawamura Tanosuke, while the actor at right is Ichikawa Udanji I. A fascinating supernatural subject, wonderfully detailed and colored.

Artist - Kunichika (1835 - 1900)

Image Size - 13 5/8" x 28 1/8"

Condition - With excellent color and detail as shown. Three panels, not attached at the seams, partially backed with paper. Slight creasing and soiling. Please see photos for details. Good overall.