Shunga: Japanese Erotic Art

by Monta Hayakawa

A collection of Japanese eroticism by Ukiyo-e artists. A new volume in the Traditional Patterns series, this book features Shunga, a type of Ukiyo-e that is made using the finest Japanese woodblock print techniques and portrays the erotic expressions of men and women; and the pleasure, the pain, and the beauty of the human body. This Japanese erotic art was made by all Ukiyo-e artists and was usually more profitable than "normal" art during the Edo period. It is believed that Shunga, literally "springtime picture," originated from Chinese medical books. It was not only intended to provide the fun that comes from viewing erotic images, but also the book could be held as a charm against evil. Shunga was also used as textbooks for the sexual education of young men and women. Because there were fewer restrictions on Shunga, ukiyo-e artists used a variety of colors usually not seen in usual woodblock prints. Only the best techniques of Ukiyo-e are found in Shunga. This glorious volume features works from the Edo period to the present. Including works by Ukiyo-e artists such as Hishikawa Moronobu, Kitagawa Utamaro, Utagawa Kunisada, Katsushika Hokusai, this Japanese "kama sutra" manages to be erotic, artistic, and fun all at the same time.

Genres: Art, Erotica

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exquisite stuff. Kinda made me laugh out loud.

[Benjamin Chandler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't think every reproduction in this volume deserves 4 stars; occasionally the images seemed pixelated. Instead the book gets this rating from me for 2 reasons:

1) The sheer volume of images is amazing. There must be about 400 pictures in this tome, most of which take up a two page spread. Every other page is in color, and the publishers were gracious enough to make sure the majority of the black and white images were originally printed in just black and white. This is a full book.

2) Most shunga comes with Japanese text squiggling around the edges of the scene. This book translated much of the original words revealing a great deal of humor that takes some of the pornographic edge off of the explicit drawings. The feeling of "this is just how every day life is" pervades the text, and draws the reader's attention to mundane acts like distracting a kid while trying to romance your spouse, or stealing away for a quick tryst while one's boss takes a nap, or just feeling feisty while the cherry blossoms are out.

All in all an interesting collection.

[Patricia Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wouldn't say I read it because you simply look at the pictures. Japanese art is very cool. I'm not sure I find an octopus sexy, but to each his own. I got as a gift for my husband thinking he might find it interesting. Can't say it was erotic but it was interesting . . . okay, I was thinking . . . who thinks an octopus . . . oh, I already said that . . . ; )