A
Applying Powder
白粉
by Ito Shinsui
- Date:
- 1929
- Medium:
- Color woodblock print
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
Typical Price
This intimate toilette scene captures a woman in a private moment of applying makeup. Early Watanabe editions range from $3,000-$10,000, with later lifetime impressions at $1,500-$4,000. Shinsui's mastery of subtle skin tones and fabric textures is fully on display in cosmetic-themed compositions like this one.
Description
A woman applies white face powder, the traditional foundation of Japanese cosmetics. Her partially made-up face reveals the contrast between her natural complexion and the idealized porcelain whiteness being created. The intimacy of the scene and the concentration of the subject create a compelling study of the art of self-presentation.
