First Make-Up of the New Year

Hatsugeshō, the first application of cosmetics in the new year, is a subject within the bijin-ga genre that combines seasonal observance with intimate portraiture. The print likely depicts a woman at her dressing table or before a mirror stand, applying white face powder, rouge, or lipstick — the cosmetic implements of the New Year ritual — while dressed in formal kimono. Domoto's interpretation of this subject as a woodblock print would draw on his nihonga training's emphasis on precise, restrained line and carefully modulated color fields. The woman's face, the principal focus of any bijin-ga, would require fine-line carving on the key block to capture expression and the subtle modeling of features. The use of burnished silver or mica in the mirror surface, if included, would add tactile interest to the composition. Accessories including lacquerware cosmetic boxes and brushes supply the seasonal specificity that distinguishes hatsugeshō from generic beauty subjects.