Utagawa School: Literal Disaster Porn-- Shunga "Aftershocks" of an Earthquake (SOLD)

Artist: Utagawa School (Possibly Kunisada)
Title: Eleven koban shunga scenes plus wrapper that is set in the aftermath of a major earthquake {Aftershock (yu?ri kaeshi)ゆ?りかえし}
Date: Ca. 1855

An unusual koban shunga series that is set during the 1855 Edo earthquake and fires, featuring a variety of scenes that range from heartbreaking to hilarious. The series cartouche features a red gourd atop a sinister black catfish (namazu, whose movements beneath the earth were believed to cause earthquakes). There are ten scenes plus the outer original envelope.

There were three huge earthquakes that occurred in the beginning of the Ansei Period (1854-1860): the 1854 Ansei-Tókai earthquake, the 1854 Ansei-Nankai earthquake, and the 1855 Ansei-Edo earthquake. These were the largest earthquakes to hit Edo in about 150 years. According to “Kawara-ban monogatari“ by Ono Hideo, the epicenter was said to be Honjo, Fukagawa, not far from the pleasure district of the Yoshiwara.

We are seeing scenes that seem to be related to the Yoshiwara; some are heartbreaking and show people running to take shelter and escape the fires. Several are humorous, including one of a man in a loincloth clambering atop a shoji screen that has collapsed on top of a pair of lovers. One scene shows a fireman taking an unclothed woman by the hand to lead her to safety through a scene of utter chaos and flames. In another scene we see a fireman having sex with a woman on a bench, despite flames in the distance and terrified citizens carrying belongings and running behind them. In another, a fireman also must persuade a man to stop his sexual activity with a woman, despite obvious scenes of wreckage behind them. In another scene we see a couple in a passionate embrace, completely oblivious to the roof collapsing on top of them. A naked man is glimpsed behind them.

Following the Ansei earthquakes a new category of Ukiyo-e, namazu-e, became popular, dealing with subjects related to Edo society after the earthquakes, especially satires pointed at the people who profited by the disasters, such as carpenters, plasterers, etc. 

The opened book "Ehó-ya Mankichi“ 恵方屋万吉 that forms the cover seems to be a type of calendar for 1856; it mentions months and various seasonal information.

Condition: Excellent impression, color and condition overall. Very high printing quality. The outer envelope has significant wormage. Extremely scarce.
Dimensions: koban (each approx. 9.3 x 12.5 cm)
Signature: unsigned, as usual with shunga

SKU: SHU023