Japanese Ghosts and Demons: Art of the Supernatural | Spencer Museum of Art

Spencer Museum of Art

Info for

my portfolio logout

Exhibition

Japanese Ghosts and Demons: Art of the Supernatural

Japanese Ghosts and Demons: Art of the Supernatural

Stephen Addiss, curator

Berkeley Art Museum, University of California, Berkeley, California

Japanese art, particularly during the Edo period, portrays a host of fascinating supernatural beings. The museum's collection of 19th century wood-block prints, supplemented by loans, was drawn upon for this popular exhibition which opened at the Asia Society Galleries in New York City. The catalogue and programs were supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Exhibition images

Works of art

Yashima Gakutei (circa 1786–1868, active 1815–1852), Ushiwaka and Sōjōbō — Ushiwaka and Sōjōbō

Yashima Gakutei

1820s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Kita Busei (1776–1856); Tatekawa Emba II (active early 1800s), badger and rabbit — badger and rabbit

Kita Busei, Tatekawa Emba II

1831, Edo period (1600–1868)

Keisai Eisen (1790–1848), Susanoo no mikoto preparing to slay an eight-headed dragon — Susanoo no mikoto preparing to slay an eight-headed dragon

Keisai Eisen

1832, Edo period (1600–1868)

Shiomi Masanari (1647–1722), inro, netsuke, ojime (fox wedding scene) — inro, netsuke, ojime (fox wedding scene)

Shiomi Masanari

early 1700s

netsuke (Hannya mask) — netsuke (Hannya mask)

date unknown

Deme Uman (active 1772–1780), netsuke (fox mask) — netsuke (fox mask)

Deme Uman

circa 1772–1780, Edo period (1600–1868)

netsuke (mask of Hannya with glass eyes) — netsuke (mask of Hannya with glass eyes)

1800s

netsuke (toad) — netsuke (toad)

1800s

Suzuki Kosai, netsuke (exorcizing oni with beans) — netsuke (exorcizing oni with beans)

Suzuki Kosai

late 1800s

netsuke (Gama Sennin with his toad) — netsuke (Gama Sennin with his toad)

1700s

netsuke (Nō mask) — netsuke (Nō mask)

1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)

netsuke (oni) — netsuke (oni)

1700s, Edo period (1600–1868)

netsuke (oni) — netsuke (oni)

date unknown

Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), #37 Akasaka nawate michi nite yajirō kitahachi o kitsune to omoite chōchaku suru (Akasaka, Yajiro Beats Kitahachi Thinking He is a Fox) — #37 Akasaka nawate michi nite yajirō kitahachi o kitsune to omoite chōchaku suru (Akasaka, Yajiro Beats Kitahachi Thinking He is a Fox)

Utagawa Hiroshige

1855–1857, Edo period (1600–1868)

Okumura Masanobu (1686–1764), Shoki, the Demon-Queller — Shoki, the Demon-Queller

Okumura Masanobu

circa 1740s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850), Qingao riding a carp — Qingao riding a carp

Totoya Hokkei

circa 1820, Edo period (1600–1868)

Shunkōsai Hokushū (active circa 1802–1832), Onoe Kikugoro III as Ghost of Oiwa — Onoe Kikugoro III as Ghost of Oiwa

Shunkōsai Hokushū

1826, 1st month, Edo period (1600–1868)

Okumura Masanobu (1686–1764), Fūryū kume sennin (A Fashionable Depiction of Kume the Transcendent) — Fūryū kume sennin (A Fashionable Depiction of Kume the Transcendent)

Okumura Masanobu

1710s or late 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861); Hayashiiya Shogoro, Spirit of Sakura Sogoro haunting Hotta Kozuke — Spirit of Sakura Sogoro haunting Hotta Kozuke

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Hayashiiya Shogoro

circa 1850, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), 政岡 Masaoka, #16 (The Spectre of Nikki Danjō) — 政岡 Masaoka, #16 (The Spectre of Nikki Danjō)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

circa 1841–1842, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), 道化拳合 Dōke ken awase (Comic handgames) (caricatures of actors as three animals playing ken) — 道化拳合 Dōke ken awase (Comic handgames) (caricatures of actors as three animals playing ken)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

1847, 2nd month, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), Shodōgu yoriai uwasa hanashi 諸道具寄合噂はなし (A Gossip Meeting Between Various Tools) — Shodōgu yoriai uwasa hanashi 諸道具寄合噂はなし (A Gossip Meeting Between Various Tools)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

1847–1850, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), #49 Lantern Ghost of Oiwa (Hebiyama; Snake Mountain) — #49 Lantern Ghost of Oiwa (Hebiyama; Snake Mountain)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

circa 1845–1847, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861); Iba-ya Sensaburo, Nissaka (The Nightly Weeping Rock) — Nissaka (The Nightly Weeping Rock)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Iba-ya Sensaburo

circa 1845–1846, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), Ghost of Iga Shikibunojō Mitsumune and Iganokotarō Asayuki — Ghost of Iga Shikibunojō Mitsumune and Iganokotarō Asayuki

Utagawa Kunisada

1852, 6th month, Edo period (1600–1868)

Shunbaisai Hokuei (active circa 1824–1837), Kohada Kohaiji Mitate Nyōbō Asaka Iwai Shijaku II (Ghost of Kobata Kohaiji) — Kohada Kohaiji Mitate Nyōbō Asaka Iwai Shijaku II (Ghost of Kobata Kohaiji)

Shunbaisai Hokuei

circa 1831, Edo period (1600–1868)

Shunbaisai Hokuei (active circa 1824–1837), Iemon Nyōbō Oiwa (Lantern Ghost of Oiwa) — Iemon Nyōbō Oiwa (Lantern Ghost of Oiwa)

Shunbaisai Hokuei

circa 1831, Edo period (1600–1868)

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), greedy old woman opens box of demons (The Greedy Hag) — greedy old woman opens box of demons (The Greedy Hag)

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

1865, Edo period (1600–1868)

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), Fuwa Bansaku and the Monster — Fuwa Bansaku and the Monster

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

1865, 8th month, Edo period (1600–1868)

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), Spirit of General Tamichi as a Great Snake — Spirit of General Tamichi as a Great Snake

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

1880, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1865), Minikuchi eki goto kaigo no zu (A Gathering of Magicians at Minakuchi on the Tōkaidō) — Minikuchi eki goto kaigo no zu (A Gathering of Magicians at Minakuchi on the Tōkaidō)

Utagawa Kunisada

circa 1850, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), actors Onow Kikugoro III and Ichikawa Monnosuke III in thunderstorm on banks of Sumida River — actors Onow Kikugoro III and Ichikawa Monnosuke III in thunderstorm on banks of Sumida River

Utagawa Kunisada

1820s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), actors in roles as the ghosts of Kamata Matahachi and Kikuno — actors in roles as the ghosts of Kamata Matahachi and Kikuno

Utagawa Kunisada

1855, 7th month, Edo period (1600–1868)

Toyohara Kunichika (1835–1900), Scene from Banchō Sarayashiki — Scene from Banchō Sarayashiki

Toyohara Kunichika

1892, 10th month, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833–1904), Gods disguised as prospective customers of a brothel (demons disguised as brothel customers) — Gods disguised as prospective customers of a brothel (demons disguised as brothel customers)

Utagawa Yoshiiku

1860, Edo period (1600–1868)

Hara Zaichū (1750–1837), Taoist Priest (Gama and Tekkai) — Taoist Priest (Gama and Tekkai)

Hara Zaichū

late 1700s–early 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Hara Zaichū (1750–1837), Taoist Priest (Gama and Tekkai) — Taoist Priest (Gama and Tekkai)

Hara Zaichū

late 1700s–early 1800s, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Kunisada (1786–1864), Ariwara No Narihira as the Ghost of Seigen — Ariwara No Narihira as the Ghost of Seigen

Utagawa Kunisada

1852, 10th month, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Yoshitaki (1841–1899), Actor Nakamura Shojura as Mitsukuni — Actor Nakamura Shojura as Mitsukuni

Utagawa Yoshitaki

circa 1880s, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833–1904), Night Parade of 100 Demons (frog triptych) — Night Parade of 100 Demons (frog triptych)

Utagawa Yoshiiku

1893, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797–1861), Mitsukuni Defying the Skeleton Spectre Invoked by Princess Takiyasha — Mitsukuni Defying the Skeleton Spectre Invoked by Princess Takiyasha

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

circa 1844, Edo period (1600–1868)

Utagawa Yoshitsuya (1822–1866), Tsuchigumo (Earth Spider) — Tsuchigumo (Earth Spider)

Utagawa Yoshitsuya

circa 1847–1852, Edo period (1600–1868)

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), Priest Raigō of Mii Temple Transformed into a Rat — Priest Raigō of Mii Temple Transformed into a Rat

月岡芳年 Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

1891, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833–1904), Humourous Record of Japanese History (One Hundred Devils Out at Night) — Humourous Record of Japanese History (One Hundred Devils Out at Night)

Utagawa Yoshiiku

1894, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833–1904), Humourous Record of Japanese History [One Hundred Devils Out at Night] — Humourous Record of Japanese History [One Hundred Devils Out at Night]

Utagawa Yoshiiku

1894, Meiji period (1868–1912)

Utagawa Yoshiiku (1833–1904), Humourous Record of Japanese History [One Hundred Devils Out at Night] — Humourous Record of Japanese History [One Hundred Devils Out at Night]

Utagawa Yoshiiku

1894, Meiji period (1868–1912)