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Japanese Grotesqueries
Black & white illustrations from paintings and sketches of the ghosts and demons of Japan's folk legends - a gallery of horror and humor. Introductory essay by Terence Barrow
260 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 28, 2021
Its been quite some time since I read anything pertaining to art history, but a friend of mine owns this out of print book and he thought it might help me in my own writing. He was right...both the Germanic peoples of Europe and traditional Japanese cultures believed in spirits, wights, monsters, and these creatures were oftentimes tied to features in the landscape.
I enjoyed the illustrations (which were VERY different from the art of the Germanic folks ca 5th century aka my field). Most of the images are scaled down woodblock prints, yet the originality and creepiness of these monsters captures the eye immediately! Some of the scenes are a bit funny, others are truly grotesque. My favorite images featured animal-monster hybrids, especially the Amikir, or Net Cutter, a scorpion/earwig giant monster who is more intent on mischief than harm. I was saddened by the number of female ghosts and the awful things they do, only because its tiring to see how misogyny is so interwoven into the human experience (at least as far as the era of written history goes).
The essay at the beginning puts the images into the correct historical context, which is helpful in understanding the types of monsters as well as the different ways in which the living deal with the supernatural. Kudos to Terence Barrow, Ph.D. for not "poo-poo-ing" the traditional beliefs in an essay written in the 1970s! The artists of these works believed these creatures actually existed, and I always try to step into the shoes of the original artist and audience when looking at things that are very different from my modern worldview. His essay ends by stating "charm is lacking in the modern marvels. Perhaps that is why there is a need for a book like this. We seek a return to the world of human imagination and to the deep unconscious by which most of our ancestors lived." I am a big believer in the wisdom of our ancestors, and I enjoyed learning about the hopes and fears at the heart of the Shinto and Buddhist worldview.
An absolute must read for students of Japanese art history. Would be of interest for folks who enjoy the visual look of modern manga. If this title was ever updated, color reproductions would be of benefit to the reader.
I enjoyed the illustrations (which were VERY different from the art of the Germanic folks ca 5th century aka my field). Most of the images are scaled down woodblock prints, yet the originality and creepiness of these monsters captures the eye immediately! Some of the scenes are a bit funny, others are truly grotesque. My favorite images featured animal-monster hybrids, especially the Amikir, or Net Cutter, a scorpion/earwig giant monster who is more intent on mischief than harm. I was saddened by the number of female ghosts and the awful things they do, only because its tiring to see how misogyny is so interwoven into the human experience (at least as far as the era of written history goes).
The essay at the beginning puts the images into the correct historical context, which is helpful in understanding the types of monsters as well as the different ways in which the living deal with the supernatural. Kudos to Terence Barrow, Ph.D. for not "poo-poo-ing" the traditional beliefs in an essay written in the 1970s! The artists of these works believed these creatures actually existed, and I always try to step into the shoes of the original artist and audience when looking at things that are very different from my modern worldview. His essay ends by stating "charm is lacking in the modern marvels. Perhaps that is why there is a need for a book like this. We seek a return to the world of human imagination and to the deep unconscious by which most of our ancestors lived." I am a big believer in the wisdom of our ancestors, and I enjoyed learning about the hopes and fears at the heart of the Shinto and Buddhist worldview.
An absolute must read for students of Japanese art history. Would be of interest for folks who enjoy the visual look of modern manga. If this title was ever updated, color reproductions would be of benefit to the reader.
March 25, 2009
Over Christmas we watched Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece of animation Spirited Away. I was overwhelmed by his visual vocabulary: so many monsters, ghosts, freaks, and demons! Where did he get all this? Nicholas Kiej'e's Japanese Grotesqueries (1973), a collection of woodblock prints that illustrates feudal Japan's fascination with ghosts and monsters, helps answer the question. For centuries Japanese artists have depicted the supernatural world in vivid, bloodcurdling imagery that continues to influence and inspire modern manga artists and anime producers.
Some of my favorite grotesques are the female ghost Oiwa, who drives her husband mad after he has killed her; the Nure Onna or Wet Woman, who haunts the surf (and appears in a famous Hawaiian ghost story); the Tengu, a birdlike demon who cannot harm the virtuous, but terrifies the less saintly; the Shokera, who peers through windows and skylights at night; the Spirit of the Outhouse, who takes frightful revenge on all those who have offended it; and the Human Dirt Freak, who punishes careless housekeepers by smearing them with a year's worth of bathtub scourings.
If you are interested in Japan's extensive supernatural folklore, you will probably enjoy the Obakemono Web site (www.obakemono.com), which offers colorful illustrations and short biographies of many of the grotesqueries mentioned in Kiej'e's book.
Some of my favorite grotesques are the female ghost Oiwa, who drives her husband mad after he has killed her; the Nure Onna or Wet Woman, who haunts the surf (and appears in a famous Hawaiian ghost story); the Tengu, a birdlike demon who cannot harm the virtuous, but terrifies the less saintly; the Shokera, who peers through windows and skylights at night; the Spirit of the Outhouse, who takes frightful revenge on all those who have offended it; and the Human Dirt Freak, who punishes careless housekeepers by smearing them with a year's worth of bathtub scourings.
If you are interested in Japan's extensive supernatural folklore, you will probably enjoy the Obakemono Web site (www.obakemono.com), which offers colorful illustrations and short biographies of many of the grotesqueries mentioned in Kiej'e's book.
August 8, 2009
just scored this rare OOP on Ebay on a counter offer--been searching for a nice copy at a good price for a copuple years now--since I found out about the book! SO EXCITED!!! Cannot wait to read it!! :) Love my Japanese books!
April 12, 2011
The utter weirdness of Japanese folk belief is detailed in hundreds of prints, most of them hundreds of years old. Especially recommended for those who like Japanese horror films, such as Onibaba, Hausu, or any of the Yokai Monster movies.
December 11, 2008
I grew up with this picture book of woodcuts, sketches, & paintings of the Japanese occult. If you can find a used copy of this somewhere, you should grab it.
April 19, 2013
Awesome book! truly expresses the uniqueness of Japanese Folkore,Occultism, Ghost stories, etc.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews