PERMISSIVE TONES: SECRET PLEDGE OF LOVE (Kitao Shigemasa)

Object: original Japanese woodblock print
Genre: shunga 春画 erotic art

Artist: Kitao Shigemasa 北尾重政 (1739-1820)
From the book: Picture Book, Permissive Tones 艶本免の音色, vol. 3 下

Top inscription: Our secret pledge of love is the cause of these implacable reveries. No matter how cautiously I try to hide my heart, it rises into my complexion. Like lavender wrapped in sheer fabric the color of my affections shows hopelessly through. 人しれぬちぎりはあさからぬものおもひつゝむとすれどむらさきの色にいずるそはかなき (from the song cycle Peace in the Emperor’s Realm 天下太平, translation by Tsuge Gen’ichi 柘植元一)

Publisher: Daikodo 大好堂

Material: washi 和紙 Japanese paper
Technique: sumizuri-e 墨摺絵 monochromatic woodblock printing

Year: ca. 1779
Condition: reasonable, significant paper thinnings, trimmed margins
Dimensions: 27 x 17,5 cm

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