by Paul Binnie, born 1967
copyright Paul Binnie
The illustration above comes from one of the most scholarly and deep websites on the net about all aspects of Asian art, including Japanese tattoo art. The site is worth a visit. And while you're there you can buy items or bid on them at their auctions.
Today's Japanese tattoo vocabulary includes horimono, irezumi and oukoshisei. All three words mean tattoo. Horimono can mean ancient penal tattoos as well as modern or ancient artistic tattoos. Irezumi and oukoshisei usually mean penal tattoos.The illustration above is a print, not a tattoo, although it obviously includes a tattoo in its subject. The word shunga is used in Japanese to refer to erotic artworks. Many of the classical shunga in Japanese art depict quite exaggerated genitals, which I guess were considered aesthetically appealing.
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