|
The First Art Newspaper on the Net |
 |
Established in 1996 |
|
Sunday, August 31, 2025 |
|
Beneath the Kimono: The master's complete erotica, gathered in one arresting volume |
|
|
Known as shunga or spring pictures, the erotica of Katsushika Hokusai, Japans most celebrated artist, combined brash sensuality with playful humor to show carnality in the most varied constellations.
|
NEW YORK, NY.- If you think you know Hokusai (17601849), think again. Long before The Great Wave, the great master turned his hand (and eye) to something altogether more intimate. From maidservants and wives to courtesans, lovers, and curious onlookers and, yes, an infamous pair of frisky octopuses Hokusais shunga (literally spring pictures) are bold, joyful, and often laugh-out-loud funny.
This comprehensive portfolio brings together eight complete books and print sets from 17861823, with many of their accompanying narratives penned by the artist himself. Blending the visual with the verbal, the pages brim with exaggerated anatomy, impish voyeurism, tender exchanges, and a surprisingly egalitarian attitude to enjoyment for both sexes.
In contrast to the prudery of 18th-century Europe, Edo-period (16031868) Japan accepted sexuality as a natural part of life. With shunga officially banned but tolerated in practice, many reputable artists navigated government censorship to embrace the genre with gusto, albeit under pseudonyms. These works were made to entertain, to arouse, and even used for good luck samurai carried them as talismans when going into battle. Technical innovations in printing during Hokusais lifetime allowed for rich colours and exquisitely rendered textiles, but the content remained delightfully human: full of risky rendezvous, stolen moments, and scenes of marital (or extra-marital) bliss.
Realized with new photography of these rare works, and complemented by an in-depth introduction and explanatory essays, this retrospective offers gorgeous glimpses into a lesser-known but wildly imaginative thread in Hokusais over 70-year career: proof, perhaps, that great masters have their guilty pleasures too.
The author
Andreas Marks studied East Asian art history at the University of Bonn and obtained his PhD in Japanology from Leiden University with a thesis on 19th-century actor prints. From 2008 to 2013 he was director and chief curator of the Clark Center for Japanese Art in Hanford, California, and since 2013 has been the Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art and director of the Clark Center for Japanese Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. In 2024, he was awarded the commendation of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for his contributions to the promotion of Japanese culture.
The other day I bought some albums of Japanese obscenities. They delight me, amuse me, and charm my eyes. -- Edmond de Goncourt (18221896)
|
|
Today's News
August 8, 2025
The City of Nam June Paik: The Sea Fused with The Sun at Nam June Paik Art Center
Refresh your collection at Morphy's Soda Pop, Advertising & General Store Auction, Aug. 18-20
Bertoia's to host Aug. 22 Automobilia auction featuring David Bausch collection
Chase Edwards Gallery exhibits works by Bjørn Okholm Skaarup
Louvre names new Director to lead Egyptian antiquities into a "new renaissance"
Sarker Protick's new exhibition weaves together past, present, and Dhaka's urban chaos
Walker Art Center opens artist Jessi Reaves's first museum solo exhibition
Beneath the Kimono: The master's complete erotica, gathered in one arresting volume
1728 Gold Proof Pattern Ducaton among Peh Family Collection treasures in Heritage's ANA World & Ancient Coins Auction
A megalodon's lair: Ancient shark teeth found in a Quintana Roo cenote
Original works by Lisa Schulte, hailed as the neon queen, head to live online auction
Suzann Victor's landmark exhibition explores memory and colonial legacies
Major free commission celebrates Somerset House's 25th birthday
Donovan Wylie's "Lighthouse" exhibition captures political and natural borders
1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card brings record $1.15 million
Apichatpong Weerasethakul new cinematic work at MCA Australia
Sullivan+Strumpf new artist announcement - now representing Jess Cochrane
Kent State University Museum receives award from Helen Frankenthaler Foundation
Akron Art Museum and Cuyahoga Valley National Park partner to present Robert Glenn Ketchum's photographs
LGBTQ+ art and historical ephemera up for auction at Swann Galleries
Corning Museum of Glass commissions Maya Lin to create site-specific installation
Exhibition curated by Ben Tufnell will feature Richard Long, David Nash and a new generation of land artists
Pioneering Chinese contemporary art gallery opens new outpost in London this autumn
Finding Employment Opportunities in the USA: A Practical Guide for Expats and Job Seekers
Big Moves, Small Spaces
|
|
|
|
|
Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography, Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs, Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, . |
|
|
|
Royalville Communications, Inc produces:
|
|
|
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful
|
|