First Month, 1740, Okumura Masanobu, Japanese, 1686 - 1764, 9 5/8 ¡Ñ 14 1/4 in. (24.5 ¡Ñ 36.2 cm) (image, sheet, horizontal ?ban), Woodblock print (urushi-e); ink on paper, with hand-applied color and nikawa, Japan, 18th century, This is the first in a series of twelve erotic pictures representing the twelve months. A courtesan and a customer are watching a young male prostitute write a poem or letter. The handsome customer holds a pipe from the lacquered smoking set nearby. The courtesan familiarly slips her hand into the man¡¦s sleeve. Near the door, a fine lacquered sake set and a food tray indicate that this is.