Erotic Print (Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Met-Objekt 4586)
Original title: Erotic Print
kurzbeschreibung
A couple in traditional Japanese dress appear in a familiar embrace in this undated colour woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro. Ink and colour have been printed on paper. The sheet belongs to the ukiyo-e tradition and takes up life in the pleasure quarters as well as erotic motifs.
Description
A woman lies on her back while a man leans over her and touches her. The garments of both are elaborately decorated with floral patterns: the woman wears red and green, the man a purple robe. Cups, bowls and a cloth in the background suggest an interior. Text frames the scene. The colours appear strong, the details carefully worked out.
Context
Kitagawa Utamaro ranks among the outstanding artists of ukiyo-e in eighteenth-century Japan and is known for his depictions of women and erotic scenes. The print was made during the Edo period, when such sheets circulated widely as shunga and were passed around despite official censorship. Shunga often served education or private collections and belonged to the popular culture of the urban population.
Impact
Strong colours and rich detail draw the viewer's gaze straight into the intimate encounter. Despite the erotic subject, the picture's structure feels aesthetically balanced thanks to the ornamental robes and the calm arrangement of the figures. Accompanying texts open a narrative level that goes beyond the purely visible.
Technique
For printing, the motif was cut into wooden blocks and transferred to paper with colours. This process allows fine lines and clear areas of colour, as are typical of ukiyo-e. Ink and colour on paper shape the Japanese printmaking of that era.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)