Lip Rouge
by Ito Shinsui
- Date:
- October 1922
- Medium:
- Woodblock print, ink and color on paper
- Format:
- Oban
- Dimensions:
- 41.3 × 24.1 cm
- Publisher:
- Watanabe Shozaburo
- Edition:
- Published by Watanabe Shozaburo
- Source:
- Minneapolis Institute of Art
Typical Price
Shinsui's Taisho-era bijin-ga are his most coveted works. His early masterpieces like "Before the Mirror" (1916) fetch GBP 52,920 (~$67,000) at Sotheby's. The most iconic designs from the "Modern Beauties" series approach these heights with fresh, vivid original colors.
- Later Showa-era editions: $1,000–$3,000
- Taisho-era first editions, good condition: $3,000–$12,000
- Finest early impressions with fresh color: $12,000–$70,000
Description
A woman applies lip rouge in the intimate ritual of cosmetic preparation, the act of painting the lips one of the most overtly self-conscious gestures in bijin-ga—the subject watches herself being watched, transforming herself through color. Produced in October 1922, the print belongs to Shinsui's sustained series of beauty prints depicting women in the various stages of grooming and self-presentation. The lip rouge in particular was a cosmetic that carried strong period associations—bright red lips as a mark of modern femininity in the Taisho era.
More Prints by Ito Shinsui
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Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lip Rouge was created by Ito Shinsui (伊東深水) in October 1922.
Lip Rouge was published by Watanabe Shozaburo (October 1922).
Lip Rouge depicts figures, bijin-ga, and interiors.
Lip Rouge measures 41.3 × 24.1 cm (Oban format).