Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)

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Roba kiwan o mochisaru from Shingata sanjurokkaisen, “New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts.” The set of thirty-six prints published by Sasaki Toyokichi 1889-1892 (this being 1889). Shows the demon Ibaraki escaping with her severed arm. She had haunted the Rashomon Gate near the Toji Temple in Kyoto. Watanabe no Tsuna is commanded to kill her but only succeeds in cutting an arm off. Knowing she will return he locks it in a box. Subsequently his elderly aunt visits him and asks to see it, whereupon she reverts to her demonic self and seizes the limb. In another version she haunts the Modori bridge, Ichijo, in Kyoto.

Very fine impression of the first edition with burnishing. Fine colour. Very slight crease, otherwise fine condition. Signed Yoshitoshi.

Status: Sold