Ascension of Princess Kaguya, from "Taketori monogatari" (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) (study) 

The painting shows Princess Kaguya being led to the moon by celestial maidens at the climax of The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. Princess Kaguya, who is dressed in a twelve-layered kimono and a feathered robe, is surrounded in the front and back by maidens wearing foreign attire and holding lotus flowers and other Buddhist ceremonial objects. Auspicious five-colored clouds and more lotus flowers, both considered heralds of good fortune, float in the air, and the scene is depicted in soft colors, creating a fantastical atmosphere. The painting is based on the fifth of the six illustrations in the picture scroll The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, which the artist published in the same year using almost the same composition. While the work treats its classical subject matter with dignity and respect, it also showcases the style of the artist’s work at this time in his early thirties with its bold brushstrokes and richness of expression.
(HASEGAWA Tamao)