About the Artist & Series
Kawanabe Kyōsai (1831–1889) was a prolific and wildly inventive artist of the late Edo to early Meiji era, renowned for his biting satire, mischievous humor, and bold imagination.  Often called the “demon painter,” Kyōsai seamlessly blended classical Japanese aesthetics with caricature, political commentary, and ribald humor.
 
This particular shunga woodblock print series titled The Great Tail (Ō-Shiri Monogatari, c. 1870) is one of Kyōsai’s rare and highly sought-after shunga (erotic art) series.  Unlike the more serene and intimate works of earlier shunga masters, Kyōsai’s approach bursts with energy and comic absurdity.  His figures are exaggerated, animated, and sometimes grotesque—mocking social conventions while celebrating the raw, unrestrained aspects of human desire.
 
This shunga woodblock print series captures Kyōsai’s signature mix of eroticism, wit, and theatrical chaos.  Each image tells a bawdy tale, revealing the artist’s playful rebellion against both artistic and societal norms of his time.  
 
Shunga picture measures 11.5 cm x 17.5 cm.  Good colors and impressions.  Decent condition with some wear, soiling, water stains, bit of creasing, album backing on reverse.
 
Erotic Gymnastics of the Absurd
This bizarre yet undeniably erotic composition looks like an acrobatic game of desire.  Naked women bend, crawl, and contort their bodies into strange positions—pulling hair, spreading legs, and showcasing themselves with exaggerated abandon.
 
It’s almost like a surreal sexual exercise routine, blurring the line between self-pleasure, display, and performance.  Kyōsai revels in the ridiculousness of human desire here, making it both voyeuristic and comical.  This print stands out as one of the strangest in The Great Tail, highlighting the artist’s willingness to push eroticism into outright parody.