['Lingering snow on Utsusemi', 'Genji matched to the Eight Views'] 1858

Utagawa Kunisada created this woodblock print titled 'Lingering snow on Utsusemi', sometime before his death in 1865. It forms part of a series that matches chapters from the famous novel "The Tale of Genji" to the Eight Views, a classical East Asian painting and poetry theme. Here, we see a woman applying makeup, her face caught in a moment of careful concentration. The cosmetic act becomes a focal point, reflecting the cultural emphasis on beauty and presentation during the Edo period. Consider the duality of this image: on one hand, it presents an intimate, behind-the-scenes moment of a woman preparing herself. On the other, it is a carefully constructed public image, designed to appeal to the male gaze of the time. The snow-covered landscape in the background hints at the fleeting nature of beauty and the passage of time, subtly connecting the personal to broader themes of nature and society.