永青文庫・春画展 - Pornographic Shunga Exhibition

永青文庫の春画展に行ってみた。小さな会場はかなり混んでいて、しかも作品の前に並ぶ人たちの列が遅々として動かない。とにかく時間効率が悪いので、2列目で肩越しに飛ばしながらの鑑賞となった。展示は期間を4回に分けて入れ替えしたようで、一度では全体を俯瞰して鑑賞できる訳ではないが、江戸の最盛期だけでなく古いものやもっと時代が下った作品まで網羅されているので、その点の学習効果はあった。僕が入場した時は館外まで行列はなかったが、帰る時にはこんな調子に膨らんでいた。こうしてみると日本人のエロチシズムへの情熱は年齢を問わずまだそこそこ熱いようだ。自分も例外ではないと言うことだが。

Fox Tadanobu and Hatsune, 19th century

"Shunga" is famous Japanese pornography that used be popular in the 18th century. I recall there was an extensive exhibition in National Gallery, England a few years ago, but such events are not so often found in Japan. There was one in Eisei-Bunko in Tokyo, and I visited. The gallery was smallish and pretty much filled with visitors who moved exceptionally slowly along the displays. It looked least time-efficient and I proceeded in the second line to look at the paintings over the people's shoulders. They had some older and newer works as well as those in the most flourish era, which was good for understanding the historic aspect of this art. As I left the gallery, I was amusedly surprised with the line of visitors that stretched to the outside of the building literally illustrating how much love we Japanese had into porn arts regardless of ages, and I may not be an exception!