Japan: A man makes love to a woman in a well-appointed bedroom, watched by the tiny Mane'emon. Suzuki Harunobu (1724-1770), 1770

This shunga is no. 16 in Harunobu's series of 24 woodblock prints: 'Furyu enshoku Mane'emon' (風流艶色真似ゑもん or 'Elegant Amorous Mane'emon'), Edo (Tokyo), 1770. Mane'emon lies unobserved on the side of the bed.

Harunobu's Mane'emon series illustrate the voyeuristic adventures of a man named Ukiyonosuke who wanted to learn the secrets of love making. To attain this end he drank a magic elixir and became very small, taking the pseudonym ' Mane'emon'.

Suzuki Harunobu (鈴木 春信, 1724 – July 7, 1770) was a Japanese woodblock print artist, one of the most famous in the Ukiyo-e style. He was an innovator, the first to produce full-color prints (nishiki-e) in 1765, rendering obsolete the former modes of two- and three-color prints.

Harunobu used many special techniques, and depicted a wide variety of subjects, from classical poems to contemporary beauties (bijin, bijin-ga). Like many artists of his day, Harunobu also produced a number of shunga, or erotic images.

During his lifetime and shortly afterwards, many artists imitated his style. A few, such as Harushige, even boasted of their ability to forge the work of the great master. Much about Harunobu's life is unknown.

Copyright:

Supplier: CPA Media Co. Ltd.

Credit:

Pictures From History

Theme:

SHUNGA