Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, "Old Woman Retrieving Her Arm"

This well-known design by Yoshitoshi tells the story of the warrior Watanabe no Tsuna, who was challenged to sleep overnight one evening at Rashoman Temple to prove whether demons existed or not. During the night, Watanabe felt a tug on his helmet and slashed wildly with sword. The sword made contact with the demon Ibaraki, and on the ground before him was her arm. Taking Ibaraki's arm and hiding it away, Watanabe was visited by his old aunt one day, who asked to see the arm. When Watanabe took the arm out, his aunt transformed into Ibaraki who was in disguise. Ibaraki quickly took her arm and flew off with it, retrieving what was taken from her. A marvelously ghastly work!

Series: New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts
Date 1889
Size: Oban
Publisher: Sasaki Toyokichi
Condition: Excellent color and condition (original album backing; light trimming)
Shown in Classic Wood, Walnut Frame

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi’s (1839-1892) Shinkei sanjurokkaissen (New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts) series of woodblock prints was the artist’s last series of works completed between 1889 and 1892 before his death. The prints from this series are exemplary of Yoshitoshi’s long interest on macabre and dark subjects, and is illustrative of his unique abilities to channel these subjects into beautifully captivating compositions. Tokaido Arts is pleased to offer a selection from one of Yoshitoshi’s most famous series of woodblock prints.