Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32

by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Current Status

Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Original Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892) Japanese Woodblock Print
Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32

Series; New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts

Yoshitoshi's Thirty-Six Ghosts - In this incredible series, Yoshitoshi illustrated thirty-six of his favorite tales from Japanese history and legend. From charming folk stories to bloody tales of revenge, the series is the work of the artist's maturity and Yoshitoshi explores the subjects with great subtlety and psychological perception. As interesting to Yoshitoshi as the ghosts and monsters, are the human beings to whom they appear. Yoshitoshi was immensely popular in the last years of his life and the ghost series was greeted with great enthusiasm and a rush to collect among the Japanese public.

Today, prints from Yoshitoshi's Thirty-six Ghosts series are some of the most highly sought after prints on the market. A wonderful area of collecting for the Yoshitoshi enthusiast.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32 - A wonderful illustration of the ground spider tale and one of the best ghost prints. We’re very excited to be offering this Yoshitoshi masterwork this evening. The print illustrates the story of Minamoto no Yorimitsu, also known as Raiko, who was near death with fever, deliriously imagining himself being attacked by demons. The final demon was a huge ground spider that came to throw a web around him. However, with his last bit of strength, Raiko drew his sword and killed the spider. After successfully vanquishing the demon, Raiko was immediately returned to health and went on to have an illustrious career as a samurai. Yoshitoshi’s fantastic illustration of the story shows the huge ground spider with a spider web radiating behind him, and clutching a large thick web about to be thrown over the warrior. Considered one of the finest illustrations in Yoshitoshi’s ghost series and a favorite of collectors. This incredible design is a Yoshitoshi masterwork.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 9" x 13 1/4" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with sharp color and printing detail. Minor toning at edges. Some light ink bleed. Some minor soiling. Please see photos for details. Good overall.

Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)
Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32 by Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

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