19th C. Japanese Shunga Woodblock - Geisha Writing

**First Time At Auction**

East Asia, Japan, late Edo to Meiji period, ca. 19th century CE. An original section of a Japanese Shunga woodblock print depicting a woman, perhaps a geisha, draped in lavish robes and blankets as she sits in bed writing on a scroll. Shunga are Japanese artworks that depict an extensive array of sensual encounters, ranging from tender to unmistakably erotic as demonstrated here. A screen with floral decoration is behind her and an open door is before her. Shunga literally means "pictures of spring" - "spring" being a common euphemism for sex. A peaceful example of Shunga painting, mounted under glass in an attractive frame. Size of painting: 23.6" W x 14.9" H (59.9 cm x 37.8 cm); of frame: 29.5" W x 23" H (74.9 cm x 58.4 cm)

Japanese Shunga paintings were inspired by imagery found in Chinese medical manuals going back to the Muromachi era (14th to 16th centuries) as well as the paintings of Tang dynasty Chinese artist Zhou Fang who was known for depicting oversized genitalia. In Japan, the influences go back to the Heian period (794 to 1185) when sex scandals were depicted on narrative handscrolls; however, the form reached its pinnacle during the Edo period (1603 to 1867) and came to and end during the Meiji era (1868 to 1912).

Woodblock prints were created in Japan as early as the 8th century to illustrate texts. By the 18th century Japanese woodblock techniques had evolved, and the first polychrome prints or nishiki-e were commissioned for wealthy patrons of the Edo period. This period was known for marvelous woodblock prints of female beauties, kabuki actors, sumo wrestlers, and courtesans of the infamous pleasure districts. In time the repertoire expanded to include romantic landscapes, flora and fauna, and dramatic historical events. Woodblocks played a major role in the West's perception of Japanese visual culture during the late 19th century when Japonism exerted a powerful influence on French Impressionists such as Degas, Manet, and Monet, Post-Impressionists including Van Gogh, even pioneering Art Nouveau artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec.

Provenance: private Broomfield, Colorado, USA collection

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#185383
Condition Report: Signature mark in upper left. Section of a larger Shunga painting. Set behind glass in custom gold-colored wood frame with suspension wire on verso for display; has not been examined outside of glass. Some light creasing and wrinkles to paper.