A Lady Reading a Letter; AnotHer Making Her Toilet Before a Mirror 1742 - 1815

Torii Kiyonaga created this woodblock print titled "A Lady Reading a Letter; Another Making Her Toilet Before a Mirror," capturing a slice of life in Japan's Edo period. Kiyonaga, who came from a family of artists, became a leading printmaker during a time of economic growth and cultural flourishing. Here, Kiyonaga presents not just beautiful women, but also a study in contrasts—one absorbed in the private world of her letter, the other focused on the societal expectation of beauty. The women are depicted in a serene, almost stoic manner. One woman carefully reads the lines of the letter, which is full of secrets and emotions, while the other tends to her appearance. The print complicates the traditional representations of women in art. It reflects societal issues through the emotional and personal dimensions of the women's lives, inviting us to consider the multifaceted roles women played, and continue to play, in shaping the culture around them.