Circa 1910. Chinese “pillow book”

Also referred to as “spring palace pictures”. A concertina folding book similar to the Japanese “Shunga”. Consisting of 5 double paged erotic scenes. Paper title label reading 春宮画 - “chungong hua” translating to “Erotica”.

Illustrations are painted onto parchment and then pasted onto hardboard. This particular piece, one of two, has rich coloured explicit illustrations placed in a traditional domestic setting and is covered with a gold patterned fabric.

In fantastic condition with binding still intact and backed with flecked paper that has delicately aged colouration.

Similarly to the french victorian nude photography sets, often the creators of such playful and evocative pieces were left uncredited.