Comments - Incredible kabuki kakemono or vertical diptych from the tale of Lady Tamamo no mae, a beautiful palace lady-in-waiting who was actually a magic fox in disguise. Here, the fox has revealed her true form as she floats on a swirling blue cloud, almost seeming to grin with laughter, still wearing her elegant court robes. A circular inset at upper left depicts the fox as Lady Tamamo. Below, a man strolls along carrying a rake decorated with a mask of Okame, the goddess of mirth, a traditional decoration for the Torinomachi or Rooster Festival, symbolizing "raking" in good luck. He looks up with a grin, wearing a black coat over his purple and blue striped kimono and red under robe. Nakamura Shikan appears as both the fox and the man. A fantastic supernatural design, beautifully detailed and colored, with fine bokashi shading in the sky and cloud, and burnishing in the black coat. A rare kakemono format kabuki print of a great subject.

Artist - Toyokuni III/Kunisada (1786 - 1864)

Image Size - 27 1/4" x 9"

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Two separate panels. Small loss at edge, a few small wormholes, a few thinning spots at edges. Slight soiling, a few creases. Please see photos for details. Good overall.