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Lovers at the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters, scene 23
Lovers at the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters, scene 23
Image © Worcester Art Museum, all rights reserved.

Lovers at the Yoshiwara Pleasure Quarters, scene 23

Artist (Japanese, about 1725–1770)
Publisher
Date1768–1770
MediumColor woodblock print in red and green (benizuri-e)
DimensionsHorizontal chūban; 20.8 x 27.6 cm (8 3/16 x 10 7/8 in.)
ClassificationsPrints
Credit LineHarriet B. Bancroft Fund
Object number1986.37
DescriptionTexts believed to be by Komatsuya San'emon Hyakki (1720-93); dialogue by Harunobu

In the series two sets of twelve prints of multi-colored chuban yoko-e prints of the two-volume album Furyu enshoku Mane’emon (Elegant Horny Mane’emon) of 1768-70, Harunobu illustrates the events of a type of a miniature Tom Thumb-like man (Mane’emon) who can observe, without being seen, the amorous adventures of others. Mane’emaon or “Imitation Man” spies on lovers and sometimes imitates them in his own funny, but touching way. This print belongs to the second set of twelve prints which are set within the Yoshiwara.
Continuous narrative from picture to picture among its 24 designs. The text of the first picture explains that a man of Edo named Ukiyonosuke (“Floating world chap”), being of an amorous nature visited a shrine and petitioned for mastery of the “secrets of the art of love-making”. Two shrine deities (depicted as two celebrated Edo beauties) presented him with magical dumplings to shrink him to the size of a bean and a potion for eternal youth. Mane’emon (‘Bean Man’) then set off on his travels to observe the ways of sex of man and women, young and old, business and pleasure, city and country.
In the first twelve prints Harunobu presented ordinary citizens of Edo. He arrives at in the pleasure district Yoshiwara at the end of the first series and, after enjoying its elegant diversions as shown in the second series, wakes up and discovers that it was all a wonderful dream. The introduction and the text above each picture were written by Komatsuya San’emon Hyakki (1720-93), proprietor of a large pharmacy and a keen poet; Harunobu himself probably provided the dialogue. The device of an invisible man who could observe sexual practices undetected was a useful one, allowing Harunobu to link together a series of disparate sexual situations.
In addition to voyeuristic activities, M. often acts as a commentator on the sexual achievements he sees and his thoughts are also included in the designs. The adventures of Mane’emon and others are described in a cloud-shaped border at the top of each image. Each print is numbered, and the text on each of them starts out by repeating the events of the previous design. The series is a joyful and humorous view of the erotic world with Mane’emon (and us) as the unseen viewers. Harunobu made a sequel to the Mane’emon series later in his career with Mamesuke (‘Bean Boy”) as its protagonist but his premature death prevented him from finishing the complete series.
A character had appeared earlier in a work illustrated by Sukenobu (author: Eijima Kiseki (1667-1736), Kontan iroasobi futokuro otoko (“The Schemes of the Pocket boy Revelling in Love, 1712; likewise in 1763 Harunobu’s friend Hiraga Gennai (1729-79) had published a story of a man granted invisibility and the means to speed across land and sea who visits peoples all around the world, taking in Korea, China, India and Holland. Tales like this were numerous in the Osaka-Kyoto area and they became popular in Edo during the time of Harunobu as well.

Label TextIn the series two sets of twelve prints of multi-colored chuban yoko-e prints of the two-volume album Furyu enshoku Mane’emon (Elegant Horny Mane’emon) of 1768-70, Harunobu illustrates the events of a type of a miniature Tom Thumb-like man (Mane’emon) who can observe, without being seen, the amorous adventures of others. Mane’emaon or “Imitation Man” spies on lovers and sometimes imitates them in his own funny, but touching way. This print belongs to the second set of twelve prints which are set within the Yoshiwara. Continuous narrative from picture to picture among its 24 designs. The text of the first picture explains that a man of Edo named Ukiyonosuke (“Floating world chap”), being of an amorous nature visited a shrine and petitioned for mastery of the “secrets of the art of love-making”. Two shrine deities (depicted as two celebrated Edo beauties) presented him with magical dumplings to shrink him to the size of a bean and a potion for eternal youth. Mane’emon (‘Bean Man’) then set off on his travels to observe the ways of sex of man and women, young and old, business and pleasure, city and country. In the first twelve prints Harunobu presented ordinary citizens of Edo. He arrives at in the pleasure district Yoshiwara at the end of the first series and, after enjoying its elegant diversions as shown in the second series, wakes up and discovers that it was all a wonderful dream. The introduction and the text above each picture were written by Komatsuya San’emon Hyakki (1720-93), proprietor of a large pharmacy and a keen poet; Harunobu himself probably provided the dialogue. The device of an invisible man who could observe sexual practices undetected was a useful one, allowing Harunobu to link together a series of disparate sexual situations. In addition to voyeuristic activities, M. often acts as a commentator on the sexual achievements he sees and his thoughts are also included in the designs. The adventures of Mane’emon and others are described in a cloud-shaped border at the top of each image. Each print is numbered, and the text on each of them starts out by repeating the events of the previous design. The series is a joyful and humorous view of the erotic world with Mane’emon (and us) as the unseen viewers. Harunobu made a sequel to the Mane’emon series later in his career with Mamesuke (‘Bean Boy”) as its protagonist but his premature death prevented him from finishing the complete series. A character had appeared earlier in a work illustrated by Sukenobu (author: Eijima Kiseki (1667-1736), Kontan iroasobi futokuro otoko (“The Schemes of the Pocket boy Revelling in Love, 1712; likewise in 1763 Harunobu’s friend Hiraga Gennai (1729-79) had published a story of a man granted invisibility and the means to speed across land and sea who visits peoples all around the world, taking in Korea, China, India and Holland. Tales like this were numerous in the Osaka-Kyoto area and they became popular in Edo during the time of Harunobu as well.
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