Shunga-Japanese Erotic paintings-Anonymous-19th.c.

We recently acquired a collection of 24 antique Japanese erotic paintings, so-called Shunga, which literally translates as ‘spring pictures’ and refers to a genre of Japanese art and prints that depict the entire spectrum of sensual pleasures. Whether your fantasy is sensative and subtle or lively and explicit / erotic.

Medium: Gouache paintings on a sort of prepared linnen. Sizes vary c. 24×18 cm.

Our assessment is that these were made in the 19th c. and painted as individual images on larger sheets of fabric and then trimmed by a collector and pasted into an album. The original  pencil-like setup lines, that served as a guide for the gouache paintings, are still visible. Some colours were painted on the rear for special effect and not to over-paint the black linework. The colours of these items are vivid en the linework delicate. They lack any textual additions, which is not unusual, but could point to these being designs to be converted into prints.

This is a preview listing. Inquire for further information and pricing.