Author: Japan.
Title: [Ichikawake Hiden Kumadori zukan - ie Drawings of Kumadori Secrets of the Ichikawa Family].
Description: Tokyo, Ishikawa Shoten 1918 (Taisho 7). Oblong quarto (190x260mm) pattern cloth with ribbon ties (the covers a little marked and used) in a later chitsu case; four leaves of text and 39 colour plates (woodcut and possibly stencil coloured, two with gold) with calligraphic captions. ¶ Kumadori is the painted face of Kabuki and this is a series of exquisitely coloured and dramatically stylised faces of characters, full face and in profile. Ichikawa Danjuro I was said to be the originator of Kumadori in the 17th century and an unbroken succession to Ichikawa Danjuro IX (who died in 1903) kept alive and added to the characters.

Keywords: graphic art Japan Asia theatre make-up colour woodcuts