Erotic Print (Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Met-Objekt 4584)
Original title: Erotic Print
kurzbeschreibung
Kitagawa Utamaro captures two figures in traditional Japanese robes during an intimate encounter in this colour woodblock print. He used ink and colour on paper for the undated sheet. It stands as a typical example of Edo-period erotic art, known as shunga.
Description
One figure lies on her back while the other has settled onto her and touches her. Both wear robes patterned with flowers in red, green and grey. Cups, bowls and a tray of food stagger the background. An asymmetrical layout brings the couple in the foreground into view. Japanese characters surround the scene.
Context
In the late eighteenth century Utamaro ranked among Japan's leading woodblock artists and became best known for his portrayals of women. Erotic prints called shunga were widespread during the Edo period and popular as collectibles across every social class. They circulated often as books or single sheets, sometimes as lucky charms, sometimes for instruction. No exact date exists for this sheet, though it falls within Utamaro's working years.
Impact
Strong colours and crisp contours give the print a direct presence. The calm arrangement and everyday props make the intimate encounter feel at once near and distant. Because the light falls evenly, the flatness of the woodblock comes forward and the eye is drawn to the two figures.
Technique
The sheet was made as a woodblock print in ink and colour on paper. In this process the drawing was cut into wooden blocks, which were then inked with colours and pressed onto paper. Sharp outlines and flat areas of colour define eighteenth-century Japanese colour woodblock printing.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)