Customer Reviews

Japanese Erotic Prints: Shunga by Harunobu and Koryusai

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My boyfriend is a huge fan of japanese prints. I bought him two Shunga titles after weeks and weeks of research and this is by far his favorite of the two. The significance of this particular book is that it features a large quantity of work by japans first two Shunga artists that produced color wood-block prints. The color really does add a depth and quality of beauty to the shunga that I have seen. Also there is plenty of explanation on technique and style and a bit of discussion on how the two artists styles vary. A few paragraphs that explain a particular image that may appear to be implying one meaning to our western eyes but is really quite different when taken in the context of the time and culture that created the image is nice too. Overall a great book.

Klompmakers presents a collection that's distinctive in many ways. First, it presents a large body of work by two Japanese printmakers that aren't as well known as they deserve to be. Though not as popular in the west as Hokusai, Hiroshige, and others, these printmakers certainly approach them in artistic and technical skills. Second, these prints were created as coherent collections. Divisions within this book present the images in the series for which they were created, and in chronological order. The serious student will enjoy seeing stylistic consistencies and developments, as well as seeing the images as context for each other. Thirdly, and not least, I appreciate the book as a physical object. A substantial feel, paper that's glare-free and opaque, full-page reproductions (in most cases), and high-quality printing - it's everything you'd look for in an art book.

The commentary is enjoyable and helpful. And, when I get wrapped up in the imagery itself, I appreciate its conciseness. It's easy to get lost in those pictures, showing couples in a variety of practices and poses, a threesome, men together, and even a group. A few of the scenes depict coercion, but very few. Most feature the humor, affection, grandly magnified organs, and lush furnishings that pervade the genre. Nudity is minimal by western standards, except for clear displays of the point at which the couples are coupled. That makes sense in context, though. Japanese baths made social nudity of mixed groups common - ordinary undress wouldn't be anything special. Instead, imaginations were fired by the elaborate dress of the geishas and rich environment of the pleasure quarters, so those symbols became common in these fantasy prints.

Whether it's the voyeuristic homunculus in Harunobu's Maneemon series or the gentle settings of Koryusai's seasonal studies, there's a lot to like. This isn't as wide-ranging as other collections, but doesn't intend to be. Instead, it presents more focussed studies with somewhat different rewards for the reader. If you're already a fan of Shunga, I recommend this very highly.

//wiredweird