Comments - Great shin hanga kabuki portrait of Nakamura Ganjiro I as Kamiya Jihei in the play "Kamiji," a story of tragic love. The courtesan Kinokuniya Koharu fell in love with Kamiya Jihei, a married paper merchant, who returned her affections. After receiving a letter from Jihei's wife, urging to her to stop the affair, Koharu and Jihei decide to commit lover's suicide rather than be parted. Here, he looks over shoulder with a tight-lipped frown, his brows slightly furrowed, as he and Koharu set out on their final journey together. His face is filled with restrained emotion, and he has a violet cloth tied over his head against the cool evening air. A quiet yet expressive image.

Artist - Yoshikawa Kanpo (1894 - 1979)

Image Size - 15 3/4" x 10 3/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Backed with paper. Loss at top left corner in margin, repaired. A few light creases at edges, a couple small spots. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.