Applying Powder Possibly 1922

Editor: So, here we have Ito Shinsui's woodblock print, possibly from 1922, called "Applying Powder." The colors are so delicate, almost like a watercolor. It's such a quietly intimate moment. What stands out to you in this piece? Curator: Intimate is the perfect word. For me, it's all about the ephemeral quality of beauty rituals, isn't it? Consider this—we’re seeing a fleeting act, rendered permanent through the artist's lens. Shinsui’s use of the *ukiyo-e* tradition, updating it with a more personal and perhaps even modern sensibility…Do you pick that up at all? Editor: I see the *ukiyo-e* influence for sure, but that personal sensibility, I think, sets it apart. The woman doesn't meet our gaze, which feels unusual for the genre, at least in what I've studied. Curator: Exactly! That averted gaze! She is in her own private world, unaware of our presence. The slightly caricatured, even Impressionistic, way in which she's depicted moves the tradition toward modern art. But also look at the *wabi-sabi* inherent here. This isn't about perfect beauty. It's a momentary glimpse, an acceptance of… what is. Tell me what feeling is most present. Editor: Contemplation maybe? It's less about the action of applying the powder and more about her… existing in that moment? Curator: Yes, precisely! Shinsui invites us to contemplate the transient beauty and profound stillness in a moment of everyday life. Beauty exists in transition. Editor: I never thought about applying powder as such a… meaningful act. I just saw it as something ordinary, but now, seeing it this way, I appreciate it even more! Curator: Art has a way of doing that, doesn't it? Showing us the extraordinary hidden in the everyday!