Picture scroll, entitled on label on outside of front silk-brocade endpaper “Shunsho no mutsu hana”...
Scroll (290 x 4780 mm.), with gold paper inner endpaper at front, wooden core roller. [Japan]: n.d., but late Edo or early Meiji.
A fine example of an erotic scroll, anonymously painted as usual but with great skill. The scroll contains 12 erotic scenes painted on silk (the well-known “set of 12“ format) of men and women engaged in various sexual activities. As in many shunga hand scrolls, the paintings feature a sequence of lovemaking positions in no apparent order.
The figures are drawn to express a fluidity of movement, passion, and pleasure. The accomplished artist has used delicate shading... More