1859 - SHOZAN - Shunga Picture Book - Spring - Sakura
A Rare & Authentic Edo period original, c.1859, Japanese erotic art shunga woodblock print picture book with beautiful, springtime-themed shunga artwork by Koikawa Shozan (1821-1907).
The book measures 17.6 cm x 12.2 cm closed and has 13 total colored pages of exceptional shunga artwork. Included is a secret fold out, 4-page panoramic scene of a large group of people enjoying o-hanami (cherry blossom viewing) together. The remaining pages are kanji text pages, along with other black & white shunga scenes. All pictures are shown here.
The condition is good with some wear, soiling, creasing on some pages. Please see and judge from the photos provided. A splendid original Japanese shunga picture book loaded with some fantastic springtime, cherry blossom shunga artwork!
This rare 1859 shunga book by Shozan is a richly illustrated Edo-period work devoted almost entirely to o-hanami — the springtime tradition of cherry-blossom viewing. Across its pages, intimate scenes unfold beneath blooming sakura: couples reclining under flowering branches, festive gatherings on temple grounds, and lovers stealing moments of pleasure amid drifting petals. The compositions blend elegant architectural interiors with expansive garden landscapes, creating a vivid seasonal narrative that celebrates both nature’s beauty and human desire. Sakura blossoms appear throughout as a visual motif, reinforcing the poetic association between fleeting blossoms and fleeting passion — a hallmark of late-Edo erotic aesthetics. The result is a sophisticated, story-driven shunga album where atmosphere and setting are as central as the erotic imagery itself.
