Shinsui is Japan's preeminent shin-hanga bijin-ga master. His "Modern Beauties" and related series remain in strong demand, with provenance from notable collections (Freddie Mercury's collection appeared at Sotheby's 2023) adding premium value.
A woman applies rouge (beni) to her lips in this undated bijin-ga—the small brush or fingertip touching the lip in a gesture of cosmetic self-transformation that was one of Shinsui's most recurring subjects. The rouge application was the final step in the elaborate cosmetic ritual of Japanese feminine preparation, and its depiction gives the print an air of completion and readiness—the woman completing herself before facing the world. Shinsui's multiple "rouge" prints include both this undated version and the 1917 series print.
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Rouge was created by Ito Shinsui (伊東深水).
Rouge was published by Watanabe Shozaburo.
Rouge depicts figures, bijin-ga, and interiors.
