Lot Essay
The title Sode no maki literally means "Handscroll for the sleeve," suggesting that it can be carried around slipped inside the sleeve of a kimono. This set is regarded as a masterpiece of the erotic prints by Torii Kiyonaga. This work is unique for its strikingly long and narrow format. The lovers are cropped in a very dramatic way.
For another set from the collection of William Sturgis Bigelow now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, image accessible online at https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-scroll-of-the-sleeve-sode-no-maki-277959
For another set from the collection of William Sturgis Bigelow now in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, image accessible online at https://www.mfa.org/collections/object/the-scroll-of-the-sleeve-sode-no-maki-277959