Comments - Fantastic Osaka kabuki print in a rare, extra large format, featuring three insets with portraits of actors against a mandarin orange branch covered with fruit. At bottom center, a square inset shows a beauty with a rather alarmed expression, her head tilted to the side and her mouth slightly agape. She wears a pink kimono patterned with cranes in flight, the white collar and trim delicately embossed. At upper left, a man in a circular inset scowls angrily, gesturing with his hand resting on the border of the inset, a detail adding a sense of depth. The fellow at right frowns slightly, his brows level as if concerned. Detailed with metallic pigment that has oxidized to a dark tone on the background of the circular insets and on the cranes' wings. Hironobu's signature appears in the inset with the beauty, but there is a separate signature at lower right that we have not been able to read. We've never come across an Osaka kabuki print in this large size before. A great subject for a collector of kamigata-e.

Artist - Hironobu (active circa 1851 -1872)

Image Size - 16" x 21"

Condition - This print with excellent detail as shown. Backed with paper. A few holes, thinning spots, repaired with backing. Small losses to metallic pigment in background of circular insets. Toning, slight soiling and creasing, stain. Please see photos for details. Good overall.