This opulently illustrated volume offers a wide-ranging examination of erotic artefacts from the end of the Ming Dynasty, around 1600, to the heyday of Shanghai in the 1920s. It includes luxurious reproductions of prints, watercolours, oil paintings, ivory carvings, pottery, fans, and screens, among other items. The author gives a careful analysis of the history of erotic art in China and includes rare photographs on subjects such as foot binding and prostitution. Examining these works as artefacts of Chinese culture, this book gives a uniquely comprehensive perspective on eroticism, romantic love, religious belief, and gender roles in Chinese history.

About the Author

FERRY M. BERTHOLET is an artist, writer, and collector specializing in Chinese erotic art, opium pipes, and various luxury collectibles. He is the author of Gardens of Pleasure (Prestel). He lives in Amsterdam.