<b>GHOST</b>Yukawa Shodoc. 1900<b>SOLD</b></em>

Details

A haunting specter emerges from an eerie fog. Her soft, diffuse form weightlessly inhabits the space. Much of her definition is limited to her upper torso and head. Her look is cast downward, revealing vacant, directionless eyes. Her long black hair trails down, leading to her elongated skeletal hand, which affirms the viewer’s worry. Beyond her stiffly articulated fingers, her form trails off and is lost in the silky strands of the painting’s surface.

For centuries, Japan was closed off to much of the world. It was during the Meiji period that the country opened itself up in earnest to outside trade and influence. Consequently, Western culture and scientific advances swept through the country, affecting all areas of life. The curriculum of Japanese art schools reflected this influence with a newfound emphasis on realism. Much of yoga (Western style) painting concerned itself with accurate, almost scientific, attention to realism.  

This haunting specter is a direct consequence of the Meiji period’s obsession with realism, though there is a bit of irony to be found in this influence on this subject. Prior to the Meiji period, ghosts, demons, and otherworldly creatures were often articulated with a cartoon-like quality. Their stylized forms were easily discernable as “other” and easily set apart from the human inhabitants of this world. In this painting, the Meiji period artist, Shodo, who specialized in bijin-ga (idealized portraits of beautiful women), has created a startling vision of the other world, one that may at times visit with unsettling familiar form.

Connoisseur's Note

This painting is primarily rendered in sumi-e. However, the background is executed with an underpainting of gold which serves to bring an inner sense of light to the composition and reinforce the eerie quality of the composition. This painting is in excellent condition and comes with a custom-made wooden box.