Comments - Great kabuki triptych illustrating the famous tale of the Fox Lady, Kuzunoha. The nobleman Abe no Yasuna once rescued a fox by fighting the hunter who had trapped it. The fox returned to visit him as a beautiful young lady named Kuzunoha in order to tend his wounds from the battle. After they married and had a child, their son caught a glimpse of her true fox form, so she decided to leave her family. The triptych depicts two separate scenes. At left, Kuzunoha tenderly holds their sleeping child as she writes a farewell poem to her husband on a shoji screen. Kuzunoha appears again at right, wearing a purple floral kimono over a red robe and a black lacquer hat, her child at her side. In the center, her husband Yasuna watches with a frown, his purple robe patterned with large kanji characters. The red-faced yakko or servant Kanpei kneels at his side. From left, the actors are Ichikawa Danjuro IX as Kuzunoha, Ichikawa Yaozo VII the servant Kanpei, Ichikawa Gonjuro as Abe no Yasuna, Ichikawa Botan as the boy, and Ichikawa Danjuro IX again as Kuzunoha. An interesting depiction of this popular story, with lively color and extensive burnishing in the black kimono, obi, and hat.

Artist - Kunisada III (1848 - 1920)

Image Size - 14" x 28" + top margin as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Three attached panels. One small hole, one small thinning spot at top edge, repaired. Creasing, slight soiling. Please see photos for details.