A Rare Ascetic Shunga Album From the Taisho Era

‘Shunga album cover’ (Taisho era – c.1920)

‘A passionate encounter of a married couple sitting on the veranda. The shoes (geta) of the woman lay on the stone step (c.1920) by an unidentified Taisho artist

‘A female, leaning her head on her arm,  is making love to her spouse. Next to them stands a bowl with Japanese irises‘

‘In the hallway of a brothel an impatient client grabs between the legs of an amused geisha. The candlestick has been blown out and she placed it already on the ground. The door of one of the “love rooms” is ajar and one can see a glimpse of the sensuality taking place’

‘A cozy encounter between sensuous spouses. The fallen geisha pillow underlines their sensuality‘

‘A woman has interrupted her sewing activities and is now making love to her faceless husband. On the screen in the background is a print with a cuckoo during the flight ‘

‘An impatient male no longer can suppress his arousal and forces himself upon his spouse. His excitement is most probably inspired by the shunga books lying beside them‘

‘A servant observes the sensual exchange of a geisha and a client. Next to them stands a plate with eggs‘

‘An aroused female spying through a hole in the sliding door is watching a passionate rendezvous of a couple underneath a mosquito-netting in the other room‘

‘A squatting lady in the garden is pleasuring herself during the laundry. At the same time two dogs on the street perform doggy-style. Who inspired whom?‘

‘A young woman playing with herself is looking through a broken hole in the window at a sensual couple making love in the garden (see next image!) ‘

‘As announced in the previous image a female voyeur, her face slightly visible on the right, secretly follows the activities in the garden. The aroused female outside embraces the fence‘