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Rare Meiji period (1868-1912) Japanese shunga scroll (pillow…
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Description:
Rare Meiji period (1868-1912) Japanese shunga scroll (pillow book), Utagawa School. The twelve shunga images hand painted on silk laid on cloth, each depicting couples in erotic embraces with accompanying Kanji text, complete and in superb condition. Provenance: Kevin Percy Collection, Hawkes Bay., Each image 20 x 29 cm, Shunga, the Japanese term for erotic art has its origins in China. It is believed that shunga images were initially inspired by illustrations in Chinese medical manuals and by the Tang dynasty erotic painter Zhou Fang. Additionally, twelve images are relevant as this pertains to the sets of twelve scrolls depicting the twelve sexual acts that the crown prince had to carry out to balance the yin/yang energy. This scroll is unsigned which is typical of shunga works post 1722. Complete scrolls, like this one, are rare as many were broken up and the images sold individually.
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Category:
Unclassified