Leporello
China
China. Leporello. Very Good. N.d., 19th century. Closed, 18.5 by 10.5 cm, and 5 cm thick. 18 panels (13 with the pictorial), and so when wide open, stretching to almost 190 cm, depicting lovers in pari delicti. The ladies have bound feet, and they pleasure one another in one three way scene. Adrongyny abounds, as often the case in these leporellos, and a Peeping Tom (here, a woman) and a feline onlooker add a touch of humor to the proceedings. The leporello illustration is continuous and fluid and so can be viewed as itself representing a sort of orgy. All color printed on silk fabric which is pasted onto the heavy boards of the thick leporello. Moderate wear to the boards. Narrow, sliver dampstain affecting a few leaves. Some scattered fading and wear to the silk.
(Inventory #: 004573)