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Age limit to be required for visitors to erotic Japanese art show at British museum

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this seems reasonable to me

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You can see all the skills that a successful tart has to know,” the museum’s director Neil MacGregor said of the painting.

Talking by experience ?

It's only comparitively recently that it's become a rather offhand insult

He said it last week, not at the time of the events and anyway, the comment is creepy.

I've seen that print, and there's only one octopus

You need glasses.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Tart" is the right word given the historical context. It's only comparitively recently that it's become a rather offhand insult for a "flighty" lady. "Octopus" comes through Latin from the Greek "oktopous", so the correct plural is "octopodes". "Octopuses" is acceptable, "octopi" is wrong.

(Takes off English teacher's hat).

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I agree with others here about the use of the word "tarts". I mean, it's a perfectly good word, but I don't think it exactly fits in this situation. It's hard to believe that a museum director would use such a word to describe this painting by Utagawa. Was he trying to be funny?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

How did the Japan that gave us Shunga ever get to the reality where you can see graphic scenes of violence on daytime TV, but never any affection, kissing or, God forbid, couples retiring to the bedroom?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

"A spokeswoman for the museum said one image by the artist Hokusai would show a woman in a tryst with two octopuses."

I've seen that print, and there's only one octopus, which is allowable between consenting adults. (I'm not sure when is the age of adulthood for octopi.) Two octopi would definitely be flaky, and probably dangerous. Or maybe they were just trying to predict the outcome of the women's football tournament.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I could not enter the exhibit, check the internet oh!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"A spokeswoman for the museum said one image by the artist Hokusai would show a woman in a tryst with two octopuses."

Is this what caused the age limit? Or was the human sexuality on display also part of the decision?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"Tart" is such an incongruously loaded western word to use for Japanese courtesans. Is he doing this deliberately, I wonder?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The UK has the daily Sun newspaper which has featured photos of topless models on page 3 for decades and sells to all ages just like any newspaper. And newsagents feature the 'top shelf' porn magazines that, whilst sealed, have cover photos and headlines that have tantalized young boys for years.

Back on topic, as a parent I agree with the age rating for this Japanese art show. 16 years old, for the UK, is a reasonable age limit for such material.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I'm sure sex will sell just as well as Life and Death in Pompeii. I must go!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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