Utagawa Hiroshige (歌川広重) (artist 1797 – 1858)
Frontispiece portrait bust from volume two of the Edo nishiki Azuma Bunko (江戸錦吾妻文庫)
1850
6.625 in x 9.375 in (Overall dimensions) Japanese woodblock print
National Museum of Asian Art - the Pulverer Collection
Kuniyoshi Project It is often difficult to determine who the artist of a shunga piece is. Another copy of this print, but from the Pulverer Collection, is now in the National Museum of Asian Ar where it is ascribed to Hiroshige. However, Dr. William Pearl at his Kuniyoshi Project has chosen to give it over to Kuniyoshi. (See the link above.) For now, we will stay with Hiroshige. This is not an easy decision. If we receive more specific information in the future we will consider changing the attribution.
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This print would come under the category of abuna-e - erotic but not explicit.
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Illustrated: in black and white in The Art of the Japanese Book by Jack Hillier, vol. 2, #605, p. 906. Hillier ascribes this print to Hiroshige.
erotic prints (shunga - 春画) (genre)