The Demon of Rashomon Retrieves Her Arm, 1885 - Terrific scene from the famous tale of the Demon of Rashomon. The Minamoto warrior Watanabe no Tsuna was challenged by a friend to spend the night at the Hojo Temple in Kyoto, where he could have an encounter with the only demon left in Japan. Disturbed in the middle of the night, he flailed wildly with his sword, cutting off the arm of the awful Ibaraki, the Demon of Rashomon. Later as Watanabe performed Shinto rights over the arm, Ibaraki returned disguised as his elderly aunt, retrieved the arm, and flew away. Here, Watanabe sits before a box containing the arm, wrapped with sacred ropes known as shimenawa, used for ritual purification. The disguised Ibaraki peers into the container, a look of alarm on her wizened face, her long white hair falling down her back. Includes burnishing on the black cap and candle stand, delicate allover embossing on the background, and embossing on the white obi. A fantastic supernatural subject and one of the great images from the series, beautifully drawn and detailed.

Artist - Yoshitoshi (1839 - 1892)

Image Size - 13 3/4" x 18 3/8" + margins as shown

Condition - This print with excellent color and detail as shown. Two attached panels, backed with paper. Slight separation at end of vertical centerfold, repaired. Please see photos for details.