Okumura Masanobu. A Series of Eleven Shunga Prints from the Estate of Kiyoshi Shibui / Ōban, mid-18th century.

Artist: Okumura Masanobu [奥村 政信] (Japanese, 1686-1764)

Date: Unknown, mid-18th century, Edo period

Medium: Woodblock print with hand-colouring; Horizontal ōban, 264 × 357 mm; loose sheets; no covers or binding

Publisher: Unknown

Genre: Shunga

Provenance: Shibui Kiyoshi [渋井清] (Japanese, 1899-1992)

This refined shunga series by Okumura Masanobu consists of eleven sheets from what was likely an original twelve-month album. Each print represents a seasonal scene, rendered in black line with hand-applied colours and enhanced by meticulous patterns and textures. The vertical margins appear overtrimmed, cutting into the original image edges. Masanobu, active before the advent of full-colour nishiki-e, employed special effects including the selective use of animal glue (膠, nikawa) to give black areas a lustrous finish.

The first sheet in the set is a classic example of an abuna-e (あぶな絵, “dangerous picture”) — a suggestive but non-explicit opening image, meant to ease the viewer into the erotic content that follows. The remaining prints progress in intensity, presenting varied couplings and contexts, occasionally with humorous or voyeuristic elements. While seasonal poetry is absent, the visual motifs often allude to particular months or celebrations.

Sheet 1 (Abuna-e): A man and woman kneel across from each other on either side of a covered table. The woman wears a yellow outer robe decorated with clematis garlands and a paulownia crest (kirimon, 桐紋), tied with a black-and-white kasuri (絣) obi. The man wears a yellow striped kimono; he holds a pipe (kiseru) and takes tobacco from a pouch. In the foreground lies a tray with New Year delicacies. Behind them stands a byōbu (folding screen) depicting a seashore landscape.

Sheet 2: A man reclines on a pillow while a woman sits on his lap, facing him. They kiss as she pours sake from a pot into a red lacquer cup held between them. The woman wears a robe patterned with clouds and folding fans; the man wears a checked garment. Several dishes are placed nearby.

Sheet 3: A man and two women lie together in a relaxed embrace. One woman’s kimono has fallen open, exposing her breast. Her garment is decorated with grape leaves, vines, and fruit. A child, likely their daughter, pulls at the woman’s leg in an attempt to gain her attention. Outside, a rainy landscape is visible through the open panel.

Sheet 4: A couple engages in intercourse on the floor, depicted from a low viewing angle. The woman raises one leg, drawing the man’s body closer. Her robe is patterned with pine motifs; his garment features stripes. In the background, a landscape shows trees lining a riverbank.

Sheet 5: A couple is shown in intercourse on the floor beside a hanging scroll depicting bamboo and a sparrow, a pairing rich in seasonal and symbolic associations. The man wears a blue robe with a cross-hatched pattern and a crest of crossed hawk feathers. The woman reclines on a pillow. Her robe is decorated with double gourds, including fruit and foliage, while her red under-robe is spread beneath them, serving as bedding.

Sheet 6: A couple lies together on clothes patterned with blooming narcissus, a motif traditionally associated with love. The woman’s head rests on a pillow, and a checkered textile is used as bedding. Her robe is decorated with morning glory flowers, while the man’s garment bears an ivy crest. Behind them stands a folding screen with a red border, painted with a meandering stream. A lacquered tray beside them holds pipes and dishes.

Sheet 7: The couple lies mostly undressed, surrounded by voluminous patterned bedding that has been pushed aside, along with the pillow. The woman wears a yellow kimono decorated with chrysanthemums and butterflies. The man’s grey garment features a striped pattern.

Sheet 8: A woman reclines with a scroll in hand while a man thrusts from above. She remains focused on the text. Her kimono is decorated with ginkgo leaves; his garment features a rough bark motif along with the character 福 (fuku, “fortune”). Behind them, a folding screen depicts rocks, reeds, plum blossoms, and the figure of Hotei carrying his bag of treasures.

Sheet 9: A couple engages in intercourse in the foreground, with the woman seated on top. Her robe is decorated with folding fans and pine motifs; the man wears a plaid garment. Partially hidden behind a screen, a girl peeks into the room, observing the scene. A shamisen rests unused to one side.

Sheet 10: Two women and a man engage in a threesome. One woman restrains the other by the arms while the man penetrates her from behind. The garments feature patterns including checkers, grape vines, and flower-lozenge motifs. A tobacco pouch, a bag, a folding fan, and an inrō have been pushed aside, clearing the space.

Sheet 11: A man lies above a woman in a mutual embrace, shown in a moment following climax. A servant kneels nearby, modestly turned away and holding a hat. The man’s robe is decorated with yellow mokko (stylized gourd blossoms); the woman wears a plain blue garment. A pair of geta (wooden clogs) is neatly tucked in the entryway.
At lower left, the print is signed: 大和畫師 奥村政信圖 (Yamato gashi Okumura Masanobu zu, “Drawn by the Yamato Master, Okumura Masanobu”). Below the inscription appears Masanobu’s circular seal.