$1,500–$12,000. Common subjects: $1,500–$4,000. Key value factors: Shimura's refined bijin-ga have a devoted collector base. Earlier prints and rarer subjects command premiums.
This [oban](/glossary/oban) woodblock print depicts a scene from Kagami-Jishi, a famous kabuki dance piece in which a young attendant at the shogun's court becomes possessed by the spirit of a lion while handling a ceremonial lion mask. Shimura Tatsumi captures the moment of transformation, when the refined femininity of the court attendant begins to yield to the wild power of the lion spirit. The subject combines [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) beauty with theatrical drama, requiring Shimura to convey two identities inhabiting a single figure. The kabuki origins of the scene bring with them elaborate costume details and the heightened emotional register of the stage.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Kagami-Jishi was created by Shimura Tatsumi (志村立美) in Not set.
Kagami-Jishi was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (Not set).
Kagami-Jishi depicts figures, kabuki, and bijin-ga.
