Comments - This beautiful print is from a rare and unusual "Comparison of Faces" series by Tomioka Eisen. In this series, rather than capturing the entire scene of a romantic rendezvous, only the woman's face and her genitals are shown. To do this, the subject is split down the center. One side features the woman's face and the other side features a close-up of her genitals.

In the cultural context of the shunga, the woman's genitals function as another face - the face of her passion and desire that she is obligated to hide. It is a familiar trope in shunga for part of the eroticism to arise from the exposure of the hidden, but this series is a rare example of this effect being carried out so explicitly. In these prints, the public faces of the women are shown to no longer be able to effectively conceal their passion in the heat of the moment. A fascinating series.

Artist - Tomioka Eisen (1864 - 1905)

Image Size - 7 5/8" x 5 1/8"

Condition - With excellent color and detail. A vertical crease at center. Some light soiling. Please see photos for details. Nice overall.