Yoshitoshi 芳年: The Demoness Ibaraki Retrieving her Arm 老婆鬼腕を持去る図

Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 芳年 (1839-1892)
Title: The Demoness Ibaraki Retrieving her Arm老婆鬼腕を持去る図
Series: New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts新形三十六怪撰
Date: 1889

The Demoness Ibaraki is shown flying through the air, her good left green claw clutching her severed right arm. The arm was sliced off by the great warrior Watanabe no Tsuna at Rashomon Gate. He then locked it away in a box and kept guard over it and was performing Shinto rites over it at the advice of a priest. The demoness then disguised herself to gain entry to the box, and once it was shown to her she grabbed her severed arm and flew away into the sky. Here we see her escaping with a backward look and probably a bloodcurdling cry, her long white hair and kimono-disguise flying behind her. Her white robe features blindprinted texture and the lining features grey-orange lead pigment, which oxidizes in a unique way on each print. The grey background mimics the effect of a sumi-e brush painting, and here even has woodgrain may be seen at bottom, indicating an early impression. One of the best designs from the series “New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts”. 

Condition: Excellent impression and color. Very good condition. Some areas of repair in margins.
Dimensions: 36.8 x 25.2 cm   Publisher: Sasaki Toyokichi
Literature: Stevenson, plate VI.  “Beauty & Violence” plate 65.4, page 88. See British Museum.

Seal: Yoshitoshi Signature: Yoshitoshi

SKU: YOT881