This exhibition showcases the series New Forms of 36 Ghosts by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839-1892), the most important Japanese woodcut artist of the Meiji period. Trained in centuries-old artistic traditions, Yoshitoshi was also an eyewitness to the conflict and change in Japanese culture after the country opened to the west in 1868.
Created near the end of his life, the individual prints, with their dramatic, sometimes terrifying subject matter, are linked only by the inclusion of supernatural beings—ghosts, demons, and monsters—drawn from the ancient legends of Japanese history and theater.
This exhibition is presented in honor of Grant Holcomb (Director, Memorial Art Gallery, 1985–2014).