A Woman Applying Makeup

This bijin-ga depicts a woman engaged in the intimate ritual of cosmetic application, a subject Goyo returned to repeatedly in his short career. Following the shin-hanga practice of close collaboration between artist and carver, the composition likely emphasizes the fine grain of the woman's skin against the reflective surface of a mirror or lacquered cosmetic box. Goyo's training in Western-style oil painting informed his approach to light and volume, giving his figures a three-dimensional presence unusual in the woodblock tradition. The subdued palette typical of his work — soft flesh tones rendered through layered color blocks, with selective use of bokashi gradation along the neck and shoulders — transforms a mundane domestic act into a study in concentrated stillness. The washi support contributes a warm tooth that diffuses the ink, softening contours without sacrificing precision.