Page from an Album or Illustrated Book 

This woodblock print of a courtesan applying makeup with a mirror and brush was created by Kitagawa Utamaro. The composition focuses on the woman's face and upper body, framed by the mirror and her elaborate hairstyle. The restrained palette of subdued blues, yellows, and blacks creates a serene, contemplative mood, while the delicate lines and flat planes of color emphasize the graphic quality of the print. Utamaro uses a semiotic system of signs by which he represents the female form through stylized lines, shapes, and patterns. The woman's kimono, decorated with floral motifs, acts as a cultural code, reflecting the values and aesthetics of the Edo period. Utamaro destabilizes traditional portraiture by focusing on the performative aspects of identity, challenging fixed notions of beauty and representation. The woman's act of applying makeup suggests a deliberate construction of self, inviting us to consider the complex interplay between appearance and reality.