Andres Barrioquinto

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas. There are indications of minor wear and handling around the edges, but the paint layers are well-preserved and stable. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. Unframed, on stretcher.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Hidden Pleasures is the accumulation of the Andres Barrioquinto's growing interest in Japanese Shunga artworks. These are the extraordinarily large quantity of prints, illustrated books, and paintings with erotic or explicitly sexual themes released in Japan roughly from 1600 to 1900. According to the artist, making love is a wonderful experience shared by the vast majority of humans, and therefore it is most frequently the subject of art and many other forms of literature. It is usually very symbolic and often subject to decoding because it's period was very much prone to censorship. He find this very similar with the nature of his works, which are often expressed in a subtle form of romanticism. It is something that requires its viewer to dive deeper into its nature. This is the first time that he delved over this certain theme, because he believes that Shunga art is not usually the first thing that comes into someone's mind when the word "Japanese" is mentioned. The word is somewhat usually associated with cherry blossoms, trees, and samurai warriors. This is the other, underground side of japanese art, and despite it's very graphic and sexually nature, it still very much depends on the artist on how is he going to express and execute it. In Barrioquinto's case, it was further rendered in an unorthodox manner, focusing more on the psychological beauty that it represents rather than its physical erotic depiction of the male and female genitalia. There was a certain strange romance between the two portraits, perhaps it must be the primal, animalistic nature of sex being transformed into a passionate fantasy, a period of collaborative poetry rather than an wild orgy of sorts. In the end, it becomes a sacred celebration of love.