Yuagari Shōjo Post-Bath Shunga Figure, Netsuke-Scale Carving in Woolly Mammoth Ivory, Showa–Heisei, 45 mm

A kneeling woman lifts her arms to gather her hair in the instant after bathing, the yuagari moment that Edo visual culture treated as a threshold between cleansing and self-awareness. Carved at netsuke scale in woolly mammoth ivory, the figure carries its eroticism through ritual and gesture rather than explicit action.

The Piece

This sculpture presents a yuagari, or post-bath, figure: a classical shunga-adjacent subject in which eroticism emerges through ritual, privacy and transition rather than explicit action. The kneeling posture, lifted arms and gathered hair capture the precise instant between cleansing and self-awareness, an intimate threshold favored by Edo visual culture.

As a single-figure work, it belongs to the quieter lineage of shunga objects intended for handling and contemplation rather than display; the emphasis falls on gesture and psychology, compressing narrative into form. The raised arms expose the torso while simultaneously guarding it, an intentional paradox, and the smooth continuity of the body contrasts with the tactile hair bundle, signaling the shift from water to air, from public to private. This restrained tension is central to shunga aesthetics, where desire is suggested by circumstance.

The fine grain of mammoth ivory supports clean anatomical transitions at this scale. The polish is controlled rather than mirror-bright, preserving warmth, and the balance is precise: the figure reads as stable from multiple angles, evidence of practiced micro-carving.

Bathing motifs circulated discreetly because they could pass as academic nudes or genre studies, and that ambiguity allowed them to survive censorship before re-emerging as collectible hidden arts. The use of mammoth ivory reflects a modern adaptation of traditional carving without restricted materials. This is erotic art through restraint and ritual: its power lies in the moment it chooses, quiet, transitional and human, rendered in a material that rewards close study. A compact, serious collectible.

Details

• Era: Likely late Showa to early Heisei (circa 1970s–1990s), Edo-revival aesthetic
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Woolly mammoth ivory (ke-naga mammoth)
• Measurements: Approx. 30 mm (L) × 20 mm (W) × 45 mm (H)
• Form: Shunga-adjacent erotic figural sculpture, netsuke scale; single-figure bathing (yuagari) motif

Condition

• Excellent overall, with even polish and patina.
• No visible cracks, losses or repairs.
• Please review the photographs for final verification.

Collecting Context

The figure speaks to several collecting lanes:

• Shunga collectors seeking non-explicit, museum-safe works
• Netsuke specialists, particularly in erotic subgenres
• Curators building Private Object and Hidden Arts narratives
• Collectors with display or shipping sensitivities

Authenticity & Care

Carved in woolly (ke-naga) mammoth ivory; the late Showa to early Heisei dating is a stylistic attribution, and no carver is named. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed 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 published policy.

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