The rare paintings in figures 1 and 2 are mounted on a horizontal scroll are of a high quality. They were in all probability made on commission for rich city-dwellers, and are among the last known examples of erotic paintings in the traditional style.
Modern Haircuts
Although they are painted in the classical style, the pictures show young men and women with modern haircuts and clothes in the fashion of 1920s' Shanghai. Their surroundings, too, show all the signs of the new period.
Fig.1.
Sheltered Spot
After a walk in the city park, the fashionable couple in figure 1 have found a seat in a sheltered spot to enjoy a moment of intimacy. Under her jacket with its high collar the girl is wearing a wide skirt with frills. On her feet she wears high-heeled shoes.
Fig.1a.
Show Off
The man is wearing a suit of Western cut with a shirt and tie. He has put his sun hat and walking stick beside him on the grass. The park was a favorite meeting place for many lovers. It was known that the prostitutes of Shanghai regularly went there to show off their extravagant clothing and try out the latest trends on the public.
Fig.2.
Representation of Novelties
Figure 2 shows a couple making love in a room furnished in a variety of styles.The woman is still pictured with classic lotus shoes on her feet, while the,man is wearing modern socks. Although the artist shows skill in painting a branch of blossom on the room screen in a few well chosen brush strokes, he is awkward in his representation of novelties.
Fig.2a.
Clumsily-Drawn Window
The padded backrest of the Art Deco bench has clearly been too much for him and the clumsily-drawn window with its curtain shows that he is not yet accustomed to the changes.
In the Chinese Erotica section in Premium numerous other articles on this theme can be enjoyed.
Click HERE for a post on erotic paintings featuring Shanghai Decadence in the 1920s
Source: 'Concubines and Courtesans - Women in Chinese erotic art ' by F.M. Bertholet
