Applying make-up

The image likely shows a young woman, probably a moga, at her dressing mirror applying lipstick or powder. Kobayakawa frequently used the intimate ritual of cosmetics as a window into modern femininity, with the subject often shown half-turned, lips parted. The print would deploy the careful keyblock outlines and flat color planes characteristic of [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga), with [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation likely on the background to set off the figure. Compositionally, mirror scenes allowed Kobayakawa to present both face and reflection, doubling the psychological presence. The print belongs to his concentrated output of moga subjects from the early 1930s, where the act of making oneself up becomes both performance and self-construction. Unlike Edo-era [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga), where toilet scenes emphasized passive grace, Kobayakawa's women apply make-up with concentration and agency, returning the viewer's attention rather than yielding to it.