Art Resource - ART211457

Conceptually similar

ART201223

ART200500

ART319150

ART211443

ART211409

ART366219

ART306543

ART211410

ART343797

ART340835

ART307183

ART211448

ART366185

ART307175

ART306002

ART307148

ART305958

ART307151

ART549580

ART332083

A female ghost, Meiji era, Japan, c1871-c1889. She shrieks in triumph as she bears off the severed head. Cutting off a defeated enemy's head was the ultimate sign of victory in battle, but here, she even has blood dripping from her gaping fangs, suggesting she has actually bitten off this head. The ghost glides upwards on wisps of cloud in her shroud-like gown, tearing at her hair and glaring from her green, gold-hooded eyes. This painting demonstrates the artist's fascination with the macabre and the supernatural. This tendency was to a large degree shared by the nineteenth-century Japanese public. Many Kabuki plays of the time were peopled with restless spirits of the dead and live ghost story-telling was particularly popular at the height of summer when a cooling shiver down the spine would have been most welcome. JA, JP ADD1096 (1996.10-10.01).

Location British Museum/London/Great Britain

Unique Identifier ART211457

Type Image

Purpose Public

Size 2147px × 4000px

Photo Credit Erich Lessing / Art Resource, NY

Add to lightbox

Add to cart