Japanese prints, while worthy of praise for their high art qualities, were more like a form of 'pop culture' in Japan from 1600-the mid 19th century. Only upon the opening of Japan in 1854 by Matthew Perry did the West begin valuing works such as these as high art. Hokusai is one of the most famous print makers in history. This print is of a ghost, another mythological creature that figures heavily in Japanese folklore. I find it striking how similar this image is of the ghost is to our conceptions of such figures today...the idea of the ghost is fascinating to me. Can we be ghosts while we live? Who haunts us and why? What do ghosts do and how? What a mysterious work. I love how his pieces are bold and literal but also require reflection. Anyways, the color and mastery of the flat space in this work makes it intense and rich. Color really does effect how things are received and perceived.
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