Hokusai Presents The Merry Widow and a Young Shop Assistant

In this sixth plate from Hokusai‘s Fukujuso series (c.1822) shows us a merry widow who is enjoying the lovemaking of a younger man, who is probably her shop assistant or adopted son. He wears a black haori cloak, that beautifully contrasts with the white skin of the woman.

Elixirs

Their encounter has been going on for some time, and the exhausted youngster complaints and suggests that they should take a pause. However the lady urges him on to greater sexual efforts. The box with sex devices and elixirs at left would seem to indicate that the lady has a passion for such affairs.

Plate 6 ‘Merry widow and young lover‘ (c.1822) form the series ‘Fukujuso (The Adonis Plant)‘ by Katsushika Hokusai

The sexual passion of Japanese widows was legendary. Click HERE to check out an earlier Hokusai design that also involves an insatiable widow…!!!

Reference: ‘The Complete Ukiyo-e Shunga (Part 23): Fukujuso (Lovemaking at New Year’s)‘ by Richard Lane

Marijn Kruijff

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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.