Shunga

Sensual paintings that frankly depict the secret play of sex. In ancient times they were called "Osokuzu (pictures of escaping)" and were also known by other names such as Makurae (pillow pictures), Makura no Soshi (pillow books), Higiga (secret comedy pictures), Higa (secret pictures), Enpon (erotic books), and Jirushi (painted paperbacks). They mainly depict men and women in the bedroom, but they also depict sexual customs in general, such as homosexuality and masturbation, in a frank and often humorous and exaggerated way. Copies of medieval picture scrolls such as "Koshibagaki Zoushi" and "Chigo no Soshi" have been handed down, but they were most actively produced by ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period. Both hand-painted picture scrolls and picture albums, and print sets, were usually composed of 12 pictures, and picture books with erotic illustrations were also very popular. After the Kyoho Reforms, the publication of erotic prints and books was officially banned, but because they were published secretly and did not require any revision or revision of publishing permission, many works were produced with extravagant beauty in the carvings and printings, and in vivid colors and with elaborate construction. It was also after the Kyoho period (1716-1736) that artists became reluctant to sign their works, and they began to use unsigned or pseudonyms.

Almost all of the famous ukiyo-e artists created works, but Utamaro's "Utamakura" and Hokusai's "Namichidori" are both large horizontal prints in a set of 12 pieces, and are particularly highly regarded as masterpieces.

In China, these works are called the Spring Palace Paintings and the Secret Plays of Spring Nights, and were actively produced as woodblock prints and printed books from the end of the Ming Dynasty through the Qing Dynasty. There are also examples such as the "Furyu Zeccho Paintings" that were reprinted in Japan during the Genroku period.

[Tadashi Kobayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

性の秘戯をあらわに描写した扇情的な絵画。古くは「おそくず（偃息図）の絵」といい、また枕絵(まくらえ)、枕草子(まくらのそうし)、秘戯画(ひぎが)、秘画(ひが)、艶本(えんぽん)、ワ印(じるし)などの別称をもつ。男女の閨房(けいぼう)図が中心となるが、同性愛や自慰のようすなど性風俗の全般にわたって赤裸々に、多くは滑稽(こっけい)な誇張の演出を加えて表現される。『小柴垣草子(こしばがきぞうし)』『稚児草子(ちごのそうし)』などの中世の絵巻も模本を含めて伝わるが、江戸時代の浮世絵師によってもっとも盛んに制作された。肉筆の絵巻や画帖(がじょう)、版画の組物の双方とも、12図を単位として構成されるのが普通で、また艶文を添えた絵本も盛行した。享保(きょうほう)の改革以降、好色の版画や版本の出版が表向き禁止されるが、出版許可の極(きわ)めや改(あらた)めを必要としない秘密裏の出版であったため、かえって彫りや摺(す)りに贅美(ぜいび)が凝らされ、極彩色の入念な仕立てのものが多くつくられた。絵師の署名がはばかられるようになり、無款か変名を用いるようになるのも享保（1716～36）以後のことである。

　著名な浮世絵師のほとんどすべてが手がけているが、歌麿の『歌まくら』、北斎の『浪千鳥(なみちどり)』は、ともに横大判12枚1組の版画作品で、とりわけ傑作の評価が高い。

　中国では、春宮図、春宵(しゅんよう)秘戯図といい、明(みん)末から清(しん)朝にかけて、版画や版本による制作がさかんに行われた。『風流絶暢(ぜっちょう)図』のように元禄(げんろく)のころ日本で翻刻された例もある。

［小林　忠］

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