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Make-up — 化粧
by Torii Kotondo (1900-1976)

	Artist:	Torii Kotondo (1900-1976) — 鳥居言人
	Title:	Make-up — 化粧
	Series:
	Date of first edition?:	1929
	Publisher (first edition)?:	Sakai and Kawaguchi — 酒井川口
	Publisher (this edition)?:	Sakai and Kawaguchi — 酒井川口
	Medium (first edition):	Woodblock
	Medium (this edition):	Woodblock
	Format (first edition):	Large Oban
	Format (this edition):	Large Oban
	DB artwork code:	48018
	Notes (first edition)?:	Artist Torii Kotondo Title Make Up Medium Original, Limited Edition Woodblock Print Series Title Bijin-e (Beauties) Date 1929 Publisher Sakai/Kawaguchi Edition of 200. The highest edition number I have confirmed to date is #132. It is statistically unusual to have not seen even a single edition between 150 and 200, despite numerous examples of editions up to 132, so I suspect the full edition was not sold. I have not seen a single example of a print from the "domestic edition", so I suspect a domestic edition was not published. Reference No Female Image, # 167 & Cover Size 18 x 11-1/4 Re-issued in the series "Twelve Aspects of Women" circa August 23, 1988. Ohmi Gallery has a copy of a very rare trial print with different colour palette and carving.
	Notes (this edition)?:	The following information was taken from the original web listing of this artwork. Note that there may be some inaccuracies: Title Twelve Aspects of Women - Applying Powder More Rarely seen original printing. Width Item 11.4 inches = 29.0 cm Height Item 18.1 inches = 46.0 cm Width Image 9.8 inches = 25.0 cm Height Image 16.1 inches = 41.0 cm Impression Excellent - very good ... Part of fingers are embossed. Colors Very good ... Part of purple colored collar has light blue discoloration. Quality Excellent - very good ... A linear embedded plant particle in left margin. Slight ink specks in lower shoulder - chest area. Description From the series "Twelve Aspects of Women". "Kesho" (Makeup). A beauty is applying fragrant powder to her shoulder. This design is selected as the front cover of the popular reference book, "The Female Image" by Hotei publishing. The very rarely seen original printing by Sakai-Kawaguchi. No. 51 in Japanese is hand written in sumi ink on verso. The title, "Kesho" is embossed on lower margin. "Sakai-Kawaguchi" in rectangle cartouche, and "Gohan" (jointly published) are embossed on lower left margin. The alluring "bijin" (the beauty) prints in Shin Hanga period have been the highlight of Japanese woodblock print making tradition. Many of the originals from the period command the prices over $5000 today. Signature Kotondo. Seal Artist's red seal. Dated 1929, June. Publisher Sakai-Kawaguchi. Technique Woodblock print Literature Newland, Amy R.; and S. Hamanaka, "The Female Image: 20th Century Prints of Japanese Beauties", Leiden: Hotei, 2000, ISBN 90 74822 20 7, - Pg 125. Pl 167.
	Artist Bio:	Torii Kotondo (or Torii Kiyotada VIII) is renowned for his paintings and shin hanga prints of beautiful women. His woodblock prints, superbly carved and printed, are comparable with those of Hashiguchi Goyo and Ito Shinsui. Kotondo was born with the name Saito Akira in the Nihonbashi district of Tokyo. He was the only son among the five children of Torii Kiyotada, the seventh Torii master. The Torii school had a long tradition of painting and printmaking for the Japanese theater, extending back to the seventeenth century. Kabuki theater was still very popular in the early twentieth century and prints and painted posters were the primary means of publicity. Although Kotondo was mainly interested in studying history and archaeology, it was assumed that he would follow in his father's footsteps and join the Torii school. At age 14, Kotondo agreed to leave school and begin studies with Kobori Tomone, a yamato-e painter. Along with painting classes, Tomone taught Kotondo about the court and military practices of ancient Japan, satisfying his interest in history. A year later, he was officially adopted as the next heir of the Torii school and assumed the artist's name 'Kotondo'. While still studying with Tomone, he began designing illustrations for a theatrical magazine, Engei Gaho ('Entertainment Illustrated Magazine'), and painted kabuki posters and billboards. Torii Kotondo was the 8th Torii and the 5th Torii Kiyotada. His father was the 4th Kiyotada.