Lovers Playing the Same Shamisen (parody of Xuanzong and Yang Guifei) c. 1767

Suzuki Harunobu created this woodblock print, titled "Lovers Playing the Same Shamisen," in Japan during the 18th century. The central motif is two women sharing a shamisen, a stringed instrument. The shamisen, with its intimate, shared playing, speaks to a deeper connection, a mirroring of souls. This echoes a famous tale of Emperor Xuanzong and his consort Yang Guifei, figures synonymous with love and artistic patronage. Yet, Harunobu cleverly transposes this royal narrative into a contemporary, homoerotic scene, imbuing it with a subversive charge. The act of sharing becomes a powerful symbol, seen across cultures in various forms, from shared meals to linked dances. It represents unity, harmony, and the blurring of individual boundaries. The shared shamisen, however, goes beyond mere harmony; it touches on the subconscious desire for connection and the breaking down of societal norms, reflecting a timeless dance between tradition and transgression.