A couple making love beside a shamisen, a leaf from Unravelling the Threads of Desire (Negai no ito-guchi)

A Japanese woodblock print depicts a man and woman in traditional clothing. The man wears an orange robe with a green sash; his hair is black. He sits on his knees facing right, leaning over the woman. The woman sits cross-legged on the right, wearing a purple robe with a floral pattern. Her hair is black with a red and gold hairpin. A shamisen lies behind the pair on the left. The background is beige with vertical black Japanese characters. The woman's robe has a red lining and gold accents. A color palette ruler is below the print.

Artwork Details

Date: 1799
Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e), from an illustrated erotic book (shunpon); ink and color on paper
Culture: Japan
Dimensions: 599 × 462 px
Public Domain: Yes
Museum Record: View original

Palette