Kitagawa Utamaro created the ukiyo-e print Takashima Ohisa Using Two Mirrors to Reflect Her Features.
The print shows Takashima Ohisa, a celebrated beauty of Edo, using two mirrors to examine her appearance. Utamaro was renowned for portraits of beautiful women, especially close-up images that emphasized facial expression, hairstyle, clothing, and subtle differences in personality.
Utamaro’s portraits are often discussed under the genre name bijin-ga, meaning pictures of beautiful women. He helped develop the close-up portrait format known as ōkubi-e, which allowed the viewer to focus on the sitter’s head and upper body rather than a full figure.
Ohisa was not merely an anonymous ideal. She was a recognizable contemporary whose image could function as both portrait and advertising. Such prints connected the visual culture of Edo with fashionable individuals and commercial businesses.