| Method | Woodblock (nishiki-e) |
| Artist | Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) |
| Published | c. 1818-21 |
| Dimensions | Two Hanshibon sheets [each sheet ~222 x 155 mm] |
| Notes |
Series: Ehon Tamakazura: Jewelled Wig A scarce print from Volume II of Hokusai's Ehon Tamakazura: Jewelled Wig. The print features a man on his knees pleasuring a woman whose obi (belt) is unfurled below her, along with a hair pin which has fallen out of her hair. In the background koi swim in a small pond with a kouhone (water lilly). Shunga is the term used for the body of erotic imagery produced in Japan from 1600 to 1900. The term shunga means spring pictures, a euphemism for sex, and is one of several names for erotic material produced in Japan. Shunga took different formats: painted hand scrolls, painted books, printed books and albums, and sets of prints which were sometimes sold in wrappers. As prints they are one of the genres of ukiyo-e, or Floating World prints, which also include fukeiga (landscape prints), and bijin-ga (prints of beautiful women). Most of the major ukiyo-e artists produced shunga material at some point during their careers, including Utamaro (who produced more erotic books than non-erotic books), Hokusai, and Hiroshige. Produced at the same time as the introduction of full colour woodblock printing, shunga prints and books were made using the most lavish and complicated printing techniques, including gauffrage, metallic inks, mica, complicated printed patterns, and multicolour printing using a high number of different colours. Although prolific in its number and variety, shunga should be seen as more representative of the ideals of the ukiyo, with its emphasis on mutual pleasure, rather than as an accurate representation of Japanese attitudes and practices of sexuality. Shunga present an invitation to pleasure through the bliss of lovemaking and though largely heteronormative, they portray the full gamut of couplings, married or otherwise, often surrounded by lavish settings and objects of pleasure. Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is the most famous ukiyo-e printmaker and is considered the prime consolidator of Western and Japanese styles. Born in Edo (now Tokyo), Hokusai is best known as author of the woodblock print series Thirty-six Views of Mount: Fuji Fugaku Sanjūroku-kei which includes the internationally recognised print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. He was not a prolific producer of shunga but his print of an awabi diver with octopuses from his Kinoe no komatsu is the most famous shunga image. Ex. Col. Peter Darach Reference: The Pulverer Collection, Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian, Washington D.C, FSC-GR-780.3.1-3 Condition: Some light creasing and overall surface dirt, rubbing and soiling lower right and left corners, a few worm holes. Faded. |
| Framing | framed |
| Price | £550.00 |
| Stock ID | 53183 |