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- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Waseda University
- Image courtesy of
- Waseda University
Description
The specific subject of this Kawanabe Kyosai woodblock print has not been identified from the available title information. Kyosai's printmaking career ran from the late Edo period through the Meiji era, during which he collaborated with major publishers in Edo/Tokyo and contributed to numerous series and single-sheet publications. His supernatural subjects — demons, ghosts, skeletons, and guardian figures — draw on a deep familiarity with Buddhist iconography and the classical yamato-e and Kanô painting repertoires, while his humorous prints reflect the satirical caricature tradition known as giga. Regardless of subject, his compositions are marked by an assured, economical line and a willingness to use empty space dramatically, qualities derived from his ink-painting practice.