Rare Japanese Shunga Prints With Controversial Encounters of Infants
20 oktober 2018 
2 min. read

Rare Japanese Shunga Prints With Controversial Encounters of Infants

We have never come across a similar Japanese shunga print that examines the subject of two infants in this sexual context so explicitly as this koban-sized piece. The hairdue of these two little protagonists indicates that their age is around five years old.

Private Parts

The attribution to Utagawa Kunisada is not only based on its stylistical elements but also thematically. Kunisada regularly added infants displaying their private parts in his shunga designs during this period (c.1820/30s).

intimate infants

Fig.1. ‘Experimenting infants’ (c.1830) attributed to Kunisada

Glimpse

A more innocent scene (Fig.2.) from the same era shows a mother (teacher) teaching her playful infants how to imitate the plum blossoms depicted on the screen she is holding, only shows a subtle glimpse of a private part. The big screen behind them features a depiction of a towering Mount Fuji.

iintimate infants

Fig.2. ‘Teacher playing with two infants‘ (c.1834) from the series ‘Shinsetsu iro no nakidame‘ by a pupil of Kuniyoshi

Update 29/11 2018:

Recently I came across a similar design on which the above koban piece (Fig.1.) was inspired by (or vice versa):

Jpaanese shunga prints

Fig.3. ‘Exploring infants‘ (c.1830) by Utagawa Kunisada

These kids are playing ‘house’ with the young boy playing the husband and the girl the wife.

Boy: “If we are a couple, let’s make love. Tuck up your kimono!”

Click HERE for some other subversive Japanese shunga prints with the shocking initiation of a young geisha…!!!

About the author
Marijn is the founder of shungagallery.com. With more than 20 years of experience within the sensual and erotic art of shunga he is an authority in the genre. During this time he served many customers with complementing their art collection.
Darya
By

Darya

on 12 Feb 2020

However I can't succeed in finding the second leg of a girl in this picture, the piece is still charming and the situation is innocent (or at least common) as kids often try to imitate their parents' activities to some extent.

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 12 Feb 2020

Thanks Darya, do you mean the leg in Fig.3 or Fig.1? The leg in Fig.3 (the print has some wear) disappears behind the leg of the boy. in Fig.1 her leg disappears behind the boy's penis and their kimono's..

Darya
Marijn
By

Marijn

on 26 Feb 2020

Thanks Darya, the one that you mention is by Kuniyoshi, from the series 'Watching Colored leaves' (c.1840). You can check out more designs from this series by clicking http://www.akantiek.nl/p2068-p2078.htm" rel="nofollow">here....!!

Darya
By

Darya

on 26 Feb 2020

Thank you for info! second piece with a puppet tied to a penis is a pinnacle of the penis-puppet theme. Freud would pay close attention to this design I suppose, because the child here is attracted not by the puppet.

Marijn
By

Marijn

on 26 Feb 2020

Thanks Darya! Haha...Yes, would be interesting to know his thoughts. .Anyway, no case of penis envy. Freud would probably see a confirmation in these kind of designs for his theory on http://www.akantiek.com/shunga/p2068.Ukiyo-e.Erotic-Print.jpg" rel="nofollow">pre-puberty trauma.

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