Make-up 1918

Goyo Hashiguchi made this woodblock print, titled “Make-up,” sometime in the early 20th century. It’s all about subtlety, right? The way the colors are laid down, it’s not about bold strokes, but gentle gradations and tiny details. You can tell he’s thinking about the whole process, each step carefully considered. I’m really drawn to the patterns in the kimono. Look closely – it’s a field of tiny interlocking shapes in muted pinks and reds. From a distance, it just reads as texture, but up close, you see the complexity. And then there's that soft, almost translucent skin tone, achieved through layering and blending. It's like he’s trying to capture the very essence of femininity, not just a surface-level representation. It reminds me a bit of Degas, that quiet observation of everyday life. But Hashiguchi brings his own sensibility, a unique blend of tradition and modernity. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, an exchange of ideas across time and cultures.