Shunga - Shunga is a Japanese term for erotic pictures. Some scholars believe that the first shunga were inspired by Chinese medical manuals. Shunga prints grew in popularity in the early 18th century and the production of shunga peaked in the golden age of the print period in the late 19th century. Many ukiyo-e artists did shunga in addition to their normal specialties. The works sold well and, often at higher prices than the normal genre. So, artists had an incentive to delve into the realm of shunga. Often of very high quality and with great sensitivity to the subject, the best artists produced shunga of remarkable beauty. Shunga were rarely signed as collectors in the field know. Some of the noted artists in the field were Moronobu, Hokusai, Shigenobu and the great Utamaro.

Comments - This print features Koryusai's well-known compositional format of positioning the lovers between pairs of parallel diagonal lines. This subject in particular features numerous examples: lines along edges of the bed, the wooden floor divides, as well as the lines along the alcove. A terrific example of Koryusai's work and an excellent chance to own an early shunga masterwork - bid now!

Artist - Koryusai (1735 - 1790)

Image Size - 9 1/4" x 7 1/2" + margin as shown

Condition - With excellent color and detail. A vertical crease at center. Some rubbing and soiling at edges. A few small holes repaired. Some minor staining. Please see photos for details. Good overall.