Graven Images: Bloody Ukiyo-e Bonus Material

[kyozoku]

Dear Rue Morgue readers,

Since there was only enough room in the print version of my article for seven images, I thought I’d post some of the other bloody ukiyo-e art I discovered while doing research. As in the article, the art can be divided into two general groups – woodcuts from the 19th century (and earlier) and the tribute images done by Hanawa and Maruo in 1988.

Thanks for reading,

Jason Lapeyre

Artist Unknown


Hokusai, The Ghost of Oiwa, c.1830


Hokusai, Laughing Hannya, c.1830


Hokusai, The Ghost Story of Okiku, c.1830


The Ghost Story of Okiku is a story about a servant girl at a Samurai household, who was murdered by her master after he accused her of breaking one of his ten heirloom plates, which she might or might not have done. She was thrown to her death at the bottom of a well - but Okiku’s ghost returned to torment the master every night, counting plates up to nine, and then letting out a terrible shriek in place of the tenth plate.

Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866


Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866


Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866


Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866


Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866


Yoshitoshi/Yoshiiku, 28 Scenes of Murder and Verse, 1866

[kyozoku]

Yoshitoshi, Omoi tsuzura (Pandora's Box), 188?

Yoshitoshi, Kuzu no ha (Ivy), 188?

Yoshitoshi, The Lonely House on Adachi Moor, 188?


Suehiro Maruo, Little Red Ridinghood, 1988

Kazuichi Hanawa, Toi Mutsumi, 1988

Suehiro Maruo, Snake Girl, 1988

Kazuichi Hanawa, Homunculus, 1988

Suehiro Maruo, Fritz Hahlman, 1988

Kazuichi Hanawa, Yohe Kawachiya, 1988

Suehiro Maruo, Adolf Hitler, 1988

[kyozoku]

Kazuichi Hanawa, Issunboshi & A Nobility, 1988


Suehiro Maruo, Peter Kurten, 1988

[SendMoooreParamedics]

Awesome, dude!
Now these make for some pretty kick ass tattoos...

[brotherhoodoflife]

Those are cool pics of Bloody Ukiyo-e. The ones that were done during 1988 are particularly disturbing and effectively shocking.

[Nemoid]

Really fantastic stuff.
I wish I had some prints of those.

[Mr. Monster]

These are amazing.

[Dark Mark]

Great stuff, your article in RM was a highlight also.

[kyozoku]

Thanks for all the great comments! And I'm glad you all enjoyed the article and the images.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to hell for disseminating these, so I'm glad there's an upshot.

[LaMort]

Reminds me of Hideshi Hino's werk.

Very nice stuff.

[Liiiiiiiisa]

Bloody lovely.
This would make a fabulous behind-the-velvet-curtain art exhibit at Festival of Fear, ala Death Photography of 2008, if someone was producing prints or something today...

[LaMort]

I've seen similar stuff at the Chicago Art Institute and was wondering if there are any permanent collections on display somewhere today?