In Makeup

A [bijin-ga](/glossary/bijin-ga) subject depicting a figure engaged in the ritual of applying cosmetics. The theme of women at the toilette has a long history in Japanese print, running from the close-up okubi-e portraits of Utamaro through twentieth-century [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) interpretations. Compositions of this kind typically isolate the figure against a plain or lightly toned ground, drawing attention to the contrast between the white-painted face (oshiroi), the curve of the nape, and the implements of the dressing table—mirror, brush, lacquer box. Technically, such a print relies on a precise keyblock for the face and accurate [kento](/glossary/kento) registration across multiple color blocks, with [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation often used to soften skin tones or background. Shusui's broader output is associated with landscape and nature subjects, and a figural piece of this kind sits outside the better-documented portion of the artist's catalogue, suggesting either a less common direction within Shusui's practice or a print whose attribution may warrant additional archival cross-checking.