Artist: Suzuki Harunobu [鈴木春信] (Japanese, c. 1725–1770), attributed to
Signed: Unsigned
Date: c. 1768
Publisher: Unknown
Media: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ink and color on paper; Horizontal chūban; 190 × 270 mm
Genre: Shunga (erotic print)
The man, half-reclining in an olive-striped robe, supports the woman with his bent knee as he embraces her with one arm and suckles her breast. She kneels in seiza (正座), passive, wearing a light brown kimono with a red-striped underrobe and matching obi. To the right, a spotted cat sits on the veranda next to a blooming plum bonsai, evoking early spring. In front of the couple lies a pile of writing paper inscribed with the characters 子春 (koharu), beside a traveling writing kit (yatate, 矢立). A stand of silk floss (wata, 綿) appears in the foreground atop a red carpet, surrounded by loose tufts and two tied packets. These materials suggest the woman was handling silk wadding before being interrupted.
Reference: [LIB-1478.2013] Gian Carlo Calza, Stefania Piotti. Poem of the Pillow and Other Stories. — London: Phaidon Press, 2010; pp. 148–149.
I have heard from an unidentified source that this is a sheet from the series Mirror Picture of Japan (Wakoku Kagami).
Additional Information
| Collection | Erotica , Japanese prints and drawings |
|---|---|
| Type / Purpose | Fine art , Woodblock print |
| Period | 18 AD , Edo period [江戸時代] (1603–1868) , Mid-18th century |
| Country | Japan |
| Media/Technique | Ink and color on paper , Woodblock print (nishiki-e) |
| Size | Horizontal chuban |
| Subject | Breastfeeding , Erotica , Love , Man , Sexuality , Shunga , Woman |
| Series | Mirror Picture of Japan (Wakoku kagami) |
| Creation / Publishing year | 1768 |
| Acquisition year | 2013 |
