{"product_id":"japanese-mammoth-ivory-shunga-reclining-lovers","title":"Escultura shunga de amantes reclinados en marfil de mamut, microarte erótico, talla japonesa moderna","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"jp-product\" data-world=\"Hidden Arts\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"jp-lede\"\u003eReclining lovers in ke-naga mammoth ivory, carved at miniature scale in the visual language of Edo shunga. Exaggerated gesture and compressed form give the scene its candor and humor, a modern continuation of an erotic tradition that survived by passing quietly from hand to hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eThe Piece\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis miniature erotic sculpture of reclining lovers is carved from mammoth ivory. Composed in the visual and narrative language of Japanese shunga, where sexuality is rendered not as obscenity but as human vitality, humor, imbalance and intimacy, it translates ukiyo-e shunga into three dimensions: exaggerated anatomy, compressed bodies and interlocked limbs echo Edo-period prints, while the prehistoric ivory lends weight and permanence. It is a contemporary continuation of a suppressed art lineage, made for private appreciation, scholarly interest and serious collecting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe figures are held in a deliberately unidealized moment. The male form leans forward with exaggerated posture and expressive facial tension; the female figure is positioned low and turned inward, her expression intentionally ambiguous, neither idealized nor submissive. That asymmetry is essential: shunga traditionally set aside Western erotic ideals in favor of psychological realism, humor and bodily truth, and the sculptor preserves this through exaggerated proportion and gesture. The scene reads as human, awkward, intimate and alive, the very qualities Edo-period artists used to distinguish shunga from pornography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKe-naga mammoth ivory offers density and fine grain comparable to elephant ivory, is legally collectible and has been favored by modern master carvers, and its naturally aged coloration adds depth and warmth. The carving shows controlled undercutting in confined negative spaces, smooth anatomical transitions without tool chatter, and a polished yet organic surface that preserves the ivory's natural character, placing it within collector-grade micro-carving rather than decorative export craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErotic art in Japan survived centuries of censorship by living outside public space, kept in drawers, sleeves, boxes and private collections; shunga was rarely destroyed for moral reasons but hidden, exchanged quietly and reinterpreted by later generations. Three-dimensional works such as this emerge in the modern period as post-censorship artifacts, reclaiming forbidden imagery through craftsmanship rather than provocation, and they exist because knowledge passed hand to hand rather than institution to institution. Its size, material and explicit clarity suit private study collections, curated cabinets and scholarly reference, and it will speak to collectors of shunga and hidden erotic arts, netsuke and miniature carving, mammoth ivory micro-sculpture, and objects excluded from public museum narratives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eDetails\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"jp-details\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eObject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shunga-inspired erotic sculpture; figural carving (explicit coupling scene)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEra:\u003c\/strong\u003e Modern carving (late 20th century–early 21st century), executed in classical Edo-period shunga visual language\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Japan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ke-naga mammoth ivory (woolly mammoth tusk)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMeasurements:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approx. 53 mm (height) × 28 mm (width) × 36 mm (depth)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eExcellent surface condition; no notable chips, cracks or structural damage observed.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural tonal variation consistent with mammoth ivory.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRefer to the photographs for the exact state.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eAuthenticity \u0026amp; Care\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCarved in ke-naga (woolly) mammoth tusk, with natural tonal variation characteristic of the material; dating to the late 20th or early 21st century is stylistic. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eDelivery from Japan\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePacked by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our \u003ca href=\"\/es\/policies\/refund-policy\"\u003epublished policy\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"jp-closing\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsidered offers are welcome through Send an Offer, and each one is reviewed personally. Pieces over $1,000 may be reserved over several payments with \u003ca href=\"\/es\/pages\/japonista-layaway-privilege-program\"\u003eLayaway Privilege™\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"jp-related\"\u003eRelated pieces: \u003ca href=\"\/es\/products\/mammoth-ivory-shunga-erotic-sculpture\"\u003eExplicit shunga couple sculpture in mammoth ivory\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/es\/products\/mammoth-ivory-shunga-intimate-embrace-sculpture\"\u003eShunga intimate embrace in mammoth ivory\u003c\/a\u003e · \u003ca href=\"\/es\/products\/japanese-shunga-mammoth-ivory-lovers-carving\"\u003eMammoth ivory classical lovers shunga carving\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"jp-cta\" data-world=\"Hidden Arts\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"jp-cta-eyebrow\"\u003ePrivate Consultation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShunga and hidden arts are handled with discretion. Open a private case file for a specific artist, series or period. \u003ca href=\"\/es\/pages\/japonista-concierge-logistics-case-file\"\u003eOpen a private case file →\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"jp-search\"\u003eCollectors also search: reclining lovers shunga · shunga sculpture · mammoth ivory erotic carving · japanese erotic micro art · shunga ivory carving · erotic netsuke style sculpture · modern shunga carving\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Japonista","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51960227201317,"sku":"k392","price":2350.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0758\/8829\/6229\/files\/k392-JapaneseMammothIvoryShungaSculpture_RecliningLovers_EroticMicro-Art_1.jpg?v=1769993507","url":"https:\/\/japonista.com\/es\/products\/japanese-mammoth-ivory-shunga-reclining-lovers","provider":"Japonista","version":"1.0","type":"link"}