Autumn for make-up

During the 1920s, Japan’s newly emergent urban culture nurtured the development of modern art. International fashion and ideas were eagerly adopted and, after the First World War, many Japanese people travelled to Europe and America. Among them was Takehisa Yumeji, a poet and painter whose graphic work ranged from illustrations for socialist and anti-war magazines to images of the modern urban woman. His work often featured in 'The Ladies’ Graphic', a lifestyle and fashion magazine akin to 'The Home' in Australia which was similarly instrumental in promoting a new female identity through striking cover designs.