Smoking Semi Nude Female Sporting Fox Mask by Senju Shunga

07/12/2021

2 min

On the Instagram page of the artist Senju Shunga he mentions his recent struggle to keep his head above water financially and perhaps has to close down his online store. Since we’re a fan of the artist and have been following the artist since our inception in 2016, we would like to encourage you to support the artist and treat yourself with his amazing art by checking out his shop now (over 80 mesmerizing prints at affordable prices)…!!

‘Hotaru (Fireflies)‘ (10 July 2021)

Work in progress

Arrogant Look

Hotaru (Fireflies) is Senju

It has been two years since our first interview with the coveted neo shunga artist Senju Shunga (1968). How has he been doing in recent years? What is he doing to reach his audience? How has his art evolved?..

’s most recent work and features a smoking girl observing us with a somewhat arrogant look, while touching her private parts with her left hand. She is wearing a traditional Japanese festival kitsune
The supernatural was an important part of ancient Japanese culture and therefore was also treated in shunga at times. The design below featuring the apparition of a kitsune woman is an excellent illustration of such..
(fox spirit) mask which she pushed to the side of her face. It is a warm summer evening and the evening dress of the mysterious young woman has almost completely slid off her body.

'Hotaru (Fireflies)'

Fireflies

Senju: “The faint glow of the fireflies in the small cage lends warmth and mood to an otherwise predominantly blue scene. In Japan, it has long been a summer custom to collect fireflies in small cages and admire their slow, pulsating glow.”

senju shunga 'Hotaru Fireflies)

Shin Hanga

Recently, Senju has been hugely influenced by the art of the Shin Hanga artists like Yoshida Hiroshi and Kawase Hasui. He loves their work and the temptation proves irresistible. The pose of the woman, or a similar one, can be found in at least 4 earlier works. There is just something about her that continues to trigger his imagination.

senju shunga 'Hotaru Fireflies art