The Erotic Sentiment: In the Paintings of China and Japan [Hardcover]

Nik Douglas (Author), Penny Slinger (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1994

In Eastern cultures, it was customary to present collections of erotic art called pillow books to newlyweds. This full-color edition showcases the finest examples of this art from China and Japan, accompanied by selections of Taoist verse.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nik Douglas and Penny Slinger are the authors of the best-selling book Sexual Secrets, as well as The Secret Dakini Oracle and The Erotic Sentiment in the Paintings of India and Nepal. Nik Douglas studied Asian art, philosophy, medicine and Tantric practices while living for eight years in the Himalayas. Penny Slinger, a graduate of Chelsea College of Fine Art, is one of Europe's foremost collage and erotic artists. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (September 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892813792
• ISBN-13: 978-0892813797
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,826,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars it's ok, February 28, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Erotic Sentiment in the Paintings of China and Japan (Paperback)

I was dissapointed in the value of this book. A book with this type of content would be better represented in a larger format with better quality printing. The pictures are of the quality of a cheaper art production, and the book seems lacking in content. I have seen much better representations of this subject matter with more artistic imagination and variety. If you are a big fan of this type of work than it should be in your collection but if you are looking for one realy good book to treasure on this subject look some more.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD REFERENCE BOOK, December 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Erotic Sentiment in the Paintings of China and Japan (Paperback)

Although the book is small, it covers much material on the subject and the color reproductions are good for an inexpensive book. The explanations of the reproductions shown are very interesting and very helpful in better understanding the subject matter - the poetry is superb - a valuable reference work for the price.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, May 23, 2004

By 

wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Erotic Sentiment in the Paintings of China and Japan (Paperback)

The authors have chosen a number of very enjoyable pictures. They show many different ways to approach the physcial act of love, both in body and in spirit. That much of the book was easy to enjoy.

The range of pictures is somewhat limited, though. The majority are Chinese. It's not that I object to the Chinese paintings or style, but that the authors under-represent the Japanese tradition. Shunga print offers a vast amount of material, but not much appears here and maybe not the most distinguished examples.

The commentary on each picture was vapid beyond belief. It generally emphasized that facts that were obvious on casual inspection, but added the traditional name of the position shown. It would have been so easy to add descriptions of real interest: the attitudes behind threesomes or other unusual presentation, the relationships of positions to Taoist alchemy, the social meaning of a woman unclad below the waist but covered across the chest, or more. I'm quite discouraged when I think about all the opportunities lost.

Other books offer better collections and better commentary. The pictures are ordinary, of their kind, but reproduced well enough. There really isn't a lot that makes this book stand out, though.