Item Description RARE OVERSIZED FIRST EDITION — 立木義浩 Yoshihiro Tatsuki Shunga-shū (春画集) — Vol. II of the Original Trilogy — Numbered Copy No. 0179 — Published June 12, 1972 This is an exceptionally large-format, numbered limited-edition photography book — one of the rarest and most significant erotic art publications in postwar Japanese photography history. It is Volume II of the landmark three-volume set titled Tatsuki Yoshihiro no Shunga-shū (立木義浩の春画集), published on June 12, 1972 by Ad Unguem Co., Ltd. , Tokyo. The edition number 0179 is stamped on the colophon page. This volume predates and was the direct source material for the later compiled edition Onna to Otoko — Ima-yō Shunga (女と男 今様春画), in which works by all three photographers were edited together into a single combined set. This original trilogy volume therefore has priority status as the first and complete edition — an original collectible in its own right, distinct from and predating the subsequently better-known combined edition. The photographs reinterpret shunga — the classical Japanese erotic art tradition mastered by Edo-period ukiyo-e artists such as Hokusai and Utamaro — through Tatsuki's distinctive contemporary photographic lens. Tatsuki's contribution is widely regarded as the most painterly and atmospheric volume of the trilogy: his images are characterised by soft-focus passages, cinematic interior lighting, intimate domestic settings, and a quietly poetic sensuality that contrasts beautifully with the more graphic compositions of his fellow contributors. The book was designed and laid out by Nagatomo Keiten (長友啓典), one of the most celebrated graphic designers of the era, produced by Ōmori Kenji (大森堅司), and published by Hara Zenzaburō (原 善三郎). The other volumes in the trilogy were photographed by Tetsuya Ichimura (一村哲也, Vol. I) and Noriaki Kanō (加納典明, Vol. III). Together these three major figures represented the apex of Japanese commercial and artistic photography in the early 1970s. At 60.5 × 45.5 cm — nearly the size of a broadsheet newspaper — this is one of the largest photography books produced in Japan during the postwar period. Its sheer physical scale is integral to the visual impact of the work. Size Height: 60.5 cm Width: 45.5 cm Weight 4,060g Condition The book is presented in a distinctive three-layer housing structure: The outermost layer is the original brown cardboard slipcase, printed with the photographer's signature "Yoshihiro Tatsuki" in large white script on the front, with the Ad Unguem Co., Ltd. label affixed to the lower right. The cardboard slipcase shows considerable age-related staining, spotting, and general surface wear consistent with 50+ years of storage. The middle layer is a distinctive deep-green folding decorative protective case — uniquely among the three volumes of this trilogy, the Tatsuki volume uses a folio-style opening case rather than a closed slipcase. The exterior front displays a striking large halftone-screen portrait of the photographer Tatsuki himself in green and white — a bold pop-art-inspired design. The interior reveals a plain deep-green finish with the Ad Unguem Co., Ltd. label affixed to the lower right. The green case also shows light age-related spotting. The innermost layer is the book itself, bound in elegant bright royal-blue cloth boards and printed with the photographer's name and signature "SHUNGA・YOSHIHIRO TATSUKI / Yoshihiro Tatsuki" in dark blue ink and white lettering on the lower right of the front cover. The book itself shows light handling marks and light spotting to the cloth surface. The interior pages show somewhat more wear than the other volumes of this trilogy: there is one diagonal crease/fold mark across one of the interior pages (visible in the accompanying photograph), and some pages show light handling marks. The colour printing throughout remains well preserved, and the soft-focus and atmospheric tones of Tatsuki's photography are rendered with their original chromatic warmth. The colophon page (奥付) and all interior content are present and intact. In summary: the outer cardboard slipcase and middle green decorative folio case show clear signs of age including staining and spotting; the book itself remains in reasonably presentable condition, with one diagonal crease mark on an interior page and other light age-related handling marks — please review the photographs carefully before bidding. Artist Profile 立木義浩 Yoshihiro Tatsuki (born March 28, 1937, in Tokushima) is one of the most internationally celebrated Japanese photographers of the postwar era and a defining figure of 1960s-1970s Japanese visual culture. Born into a family of photographers — his father Tatsuki Mitsugu ran a portrait studio in Tokushima — Tatsuki graduated from Tokyo College of Photography (Tokyo Shashin Daigakkō, now Tokyo Polytechnic University) in 1958, and joined the legendary advertising production house Ad Center the same year, where he worked alongside other future masters of Japanese photography. He achieved instant national prominence in 1965 with his photo-essay series "Eves of Asia" (アジアのイヴ) and his iconic shoot of the actress and model Yoko Kuwasaki for the cover of Heibon Punch magazine, which made him one of the most influential image-makers of the era. Tatsuki's distinctive style — soft, painterly lighting, an atmospheric and cinematic sensibility, and an unmatched ability to capture intimate sensuality without ever becoming crude — has earned him major awards including the Japan Photographic Society Annual Award, the Mainichi Art Prize, and recognition by the Photographic Society of Japan. His contribution to this 1972 trilogy is widely regarded as the most lyrical and poetic of the three volumes, embodying the soft luminous beauty that has defined his photographic vision across a career spanning more than six decades. NOITICE: The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by DHL, FedEx or Japan Post depend on the situation. It takes about 10 days to receive normally. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Sometimes Customs or delivery company in your country contact you for Customs clearance via phone or email. 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