Erotic Print (Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, Met-Objekt 4591)
Original title: Erotic Print
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many comparable shunga prints, this woodblock by Kitagawa Utamaro pairs a private moment between two lovers with closely observed everyday objects. Two figures in traditional dress appear, rendered in ink and color on paper. Utamaro ranks among the foremost masters of Japanese ukiyo-e, and this work comes from his hand.
Description
What sets this sheet apart from similar scenes is the casual precision with which the surroundings are included. A woman in a kimono of purple and green and a man in a red top face each other; their posture and the placement of their hands suggest a sexual exchange. Cups, bowls, and a cloth furnish the room. Japanese characters frame the action and comment on it. Warm tones—red, purple, and yellow—are distributed evenly across the paper.
Context
In the second half of the eighteenth century, Utamaro produced numerous erotic prints, known as shunga, which were widespread during the Edo period. They were often published in albums or as single sheets; society accepted them, even though they were not publicly displayed. Intimacy indoors, combined with objects of daily use, was a common motif in shunga art.
Impact
A confidential, almost private mood emanates from the warm colors and the precise execution. The layout directs the gaze to the two figures and their interaction, while the accompanying texts situate the scene and heighten the erotic tension.
Technique
The sheet was executed as a ukiyo-e woodblock print, in which ink and colors were transferred to paper. The color woodblock (nishiki-e) allowed for fine color gradations and precise contours, as seen in the kimonos and faces.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)