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Series
Kumadori – Make-up

Series Number
#00_a

Title in English
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Title in Japanese

Title in French
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The play
Kabuki Kumadori is the specific kabuki make-up which emphasizes the face contours and express the emotions growing out of the character’s personality. The Kumadori make-up (literally Shadow painting) have been created in the second half of 17th century and are mostly used in Aragoto-style roles. Kumadori’s three basic colors are red, black and blue applied over a white or reddish base. Additional colors such as ochre, gold or purple can also be employed. A brush is used to apply the colors working from the top of the face to the bottom. The actor uses his finger tips to shape and shade.
The two main categories are beni-guma (red) indicating strength, passion and vitality and ai-guma (bleu) indicating fear, supernatural and evil. The other colors such as green indicate ghosts while purple or gold indicate nobility.

The story
Ota Masamitsu made 72 prints describing the different make-up styles in 1928-1929 in 12 volumes of 6 prints, the first one published in Nov.1928, the last one published in Dec.1929