青幻舎 SEIGENSHA Art Publishing

Yoshitoshi Tsukioka (1839-92) was an ukiyo-e artist in the late Tokugawa and Meiji periods. A disciple of Kuniyoshi Utagawa, he was one of the most popular Meiji era print artists in the realm of ukiyo-e. Yoshitoshi’s activities encompassed a variety of genres including samurai pictures, historical depictions and bijin-ga – portraits of beautiful women. He also gained fame with the bloody paintings he devoted himself to between the late Tokugawa and the early Meiji period. One central theme throughout Yoshitoshi’s career was the depiction of ghosts, inspired by mysterious stories in history, legend, literature and performing arts. There exist in fact stories according to which Yoshitoshi himself frequently saw ghosts, as well as anecdotes about how good he was at telling his foster daughter uncanny stories from the Hyakumonogatari, which suggests his strong affinity with all things mysterious and unfathomable. Looking scary yet sometimes even humorous in their “liveliness”, the ghosts that Yoshitoshi depicts graphically communicate their creator’s special fondness.

Among his vast catalogue of works, Wakan Hyakumonogatari featuring 26 images Yoshitoshi created during his early days as a print artist, and Shinkei Sanjuroku Kaisen, containing 36 prints made in his later years, are two works that are especially well known as masterful collections of ghost pictures that introduce a wealth of mysterious creatures. In a total of about 100 items from his earliest to his latest years, including all images from both Wakan Hyakumonogatari and Shinkei Sanjuroku Kaisen, this book illustrates the fascinating world of specters in the prints of Yoshitoshi Tsukioka.