Anonyme - [Arts de la Scène / Archives Sourcées] Rare lot de 6 tirages de studio d’époque – Portraits et

Exceptional and rare homogeneous archive composed of six original-era silver gelatin prints (1937-1940).

This studio fonds documents the artistic journey of a young and talented interpreter named Emi-ko (恵美子), photographed between ages 14 and 16 during performances of traditional (Buyō) and classical repertoire theatrical dances. The detailed inscriptions on the back provide perfect historical traceability.

Detailed lot description (Front):
Print No. 1 – Emi-ko at 15 in a floral kimono (1939): Full-length portrait of the young girl wearing a magnificent stage kimono with peony or chrysanthemum motifs, sporting a complexly draped ornamental belt. Her hair is adorned with a rich traditional floral arrangement.

Print No. 2 – Emi-ko as a warrior or in a dramatic pose (1939): The young performer adopts a resolutely masculine pose, wearing a garment with geometric chevron motifs (Matsuba) and firmly holding a long staff or stage sword, illustrating the diversity of her theatrical repertoire.

Print No. 3 – The Sumida River Dance (1937): Full-length portrait of Emi-ko at 14, in a gentle, melancholic attitude. She wears a simple checkered kimono and holds a folded fan delicately, embodying the famous dramatic piece "Sumidagawa".

Print No. 4 – The portable tambourine pose: Expressive portrait of Emi-ko in an elaborately draped costume and wearing a tall conical court hat. She holds a small ritual tambourine (tsuzumi), typical of sacred or court dances.

Print No. 5 – The great Oshizu drama (1938): Striking shot showing Emi-ko in the tragic role of Oshizu, adopting a dramatic pose on the ground. She wears a kimono with highly graphic tied geometric motifs.

Print No. 6 – The official scene with musicians (1940): Large documentary photograph capturing Emi-ko on stage at age 16, in the midst of a dance. In the background, before a painted mountainous set, five traditional musicians sit in a row accompanying her with singing (Nagauta) and the Shamisen.

Backsides description (Archive Details): The versos feature precious inscriptions in black ink detailing the official dates of the Japanese imperial calendar (Shōwa 12, 13, 14 and 15), Emi-ko’s age (14, 15, 16), as well as the titles of the pieces performed.

Several backs show slight marks of paper fiber detachment, confirming that these unique pieces formed part of the archives of a dance school or the artist’s family.

Characteristics and condition:
Precise dating: 1937 - 1940 (Pre-war Shōwa era).

Dimensions: About 14 x 9 cm per photo.

Condition: Good overall. The emulsions on the front display a broad grayscale range with superb details in the textiles, overall soft focus and blur.