New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts (Shinkei Sanjurokkaisen)

New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts

Yoshitoshi's last incredible series, New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts presents scenes from classic Japanese folktales and history. These moody and evocative illustrations depict a variety of ghosts and monsters, but the focus is more on the humans to whom they appear, presented with great sensitivity and psychological insight.

The characters are realistically drawn, conveying real emotion and individuality. Horror and violence are often suggested, rather than graphically depicted, reflecting a restraint characteristic of Yoshitoshi's mature style. The borders are designed to look ragged and worm-eaten, implying a sense of age and perhaps decay.

Yoshitoshi was immensely popular in the last years of his life and the imaginative ghost series was greeted with great enthusiasm and a rush to collect among the Japanese public. The first designs from the series appeared in 1889, with the final prints issued shortly after Yoshitoshi's death in July 1892. From evil spirits and magic animals to heroes triumphing over demons, these subjects continue to fascinate the public today. Thirty-six Ghosts is a true masterwork of Yoshitoshi's late style.

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About the Artist(s)

• Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Other Related Articles

• General Index

Prints from this Series

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Sadanobu Threatening a Demon in the Palace at Night, No. 1	Heron Maiden, No. 2	Takeda Katsuchiyo Killing an Old Badger in the Moonlight, No. 3
The Ghost of Seigen Haunting Sakurahime, No. 5	The Old Woman Retrieving Her Arm, No. 6	Oniwaka Observing the Great Carp in the Pool, No. 7
The Spirit of the Komachi Cherry Tree, No. 8	Tametomo's Ferocity Drives Away the Smallpox Demons, No. 9	Ii no Hayata Killing a Nue at the Imperial Palace, No. 10
Kiyohime Changing into a Serpent at Hidaka River, No. 11	Gamo Sadahide’s Servant, Toki Motosada, Hurling a Demon King to the Ground at Mount Inohana, No. 12	Shoki Capturing a Demon in a Dream, No. 13
The Enlightenment of Jigoku-dayu, No. 14	Fujiwara no Sanekata's Obsession with the Sparrows, No. 15	Taira no Koremochi Vanquishing the Demon of Mount Togakushi, No. 16
The Ghost of Okiku at Sarayashiki, No. 17	Fujiwara no Hidesato Shooting the Centipede at the Dragon King's Palace, No. 18	The Ghost of Wicked Genta Yoshihira Attacking Namba Jiro at Nunobiki Waterfall, No. 19
The Fox-Woman Kuzunoha Leaving Her Child, No. 20	Nitta Tadatsune Seeing an Apparition in a Cave, No. 21	Kiyomori Sees Hundreds of Skulls at Fukuhara, No. 22
The Death Stone of Nasu Moor, No. 23	The autumn wind blows, there is nothing more to say, grass grows through the eye-sockets of Ono's skull. - Narihara, No. 24	Priest Raigo of Mii Temple Transformed by Wicked Thoughts into a Rat, No. 25
Ranmaru and the Mysterious Sago Palm, No. 26	The Peony Lantern, No. 27	The Ghost of Taira no Tomomori Appearing at Daimotsu Bay, No. 28
Kobayakawa Takakage Debating with the Tengu of Mount Hiko, No. 29	The Foxfires in Nijushiko, No. 30	The ever-reflecting water is frozen and covered with ice, it does not mirror the evening moon in the sky -Sogi, No. 31
Minamoto no Yorimitsu Striking at the Ground Spider, No. 32	The Good Woman's Spirit Praying in the Waterfall, No. 33	The Lucky Teakettle of Morin Temple, No. 34
The Yotsuya Ghost Story, No. 35	The Heavy Basket, No. 36