A Japanese Ghost - Yūrei - Gouache And Ink, Meiji Era, Circa 1880-1900 #98

A specter floats above will-o'-the-wisps against a background of nuanced grayish mist. This is a yūrei-zu, a representation of a ghost—popular iconography at the end of the 19th century. Yūrei is one of many Japanese words for spiritual beings. In Japan, belief in the supernatural stems from various influences such as Buddhism, Taoism, and especially Shintoism, an animistic religion positing the presence of millions of spirits omnipresent in the physical world. The souls of those who die violently do not receive funeral rites, nor do they join the spirits of their ancestors in the afterlife. Their souls wander, consumed by a desire for revenge. Yūrei are depicted as skeletal, wearing white funeral kimonos (katabira), with long, loose hair. They appear to float above the ground.
The inscription appears to read 一勇斎 “Ichiyū workshop”. The seals seem to indicate “Yoshitoshi seal” and “Ichiyū workshop”.Gouache mounted on a kakemono—wear to the hair. Traces of handling, creases - These ghosts often appear at night, and haunt specific places linked to their life or death. Total height 190 cm - Total width 66 + end caps - drawing 53 x 136 cm.