Sketches of hell by Kyosai
16 Jul 2009
Prolific Meiji-period artist Kawanabe Ky?sai (1831-1889), well-known in the West for his darkly humorous illustrations, was commissioned by Scottish surgeon and Japanese art collector William Anderson (1842-1900) to produce a large number of comic paintings in the 1870s. Anderson’s collection, which today forms the core of the Japanese paintings at the British Museum, included the handful of fanciful depictions of hell shown below. (Click the “+” under each image to enlarge.)
Torture in Hell [+]
Enma’s Judgment [+]
Protest to Enma [+]
Burning at the Stake [+]
Monster Assault [+]
Pandora’s Box [+]
Bashing a Monster into the Ground [+]
Monster Battle [+]
Hawk Counterattack [+]
Retribution: Animals vs. Man [+]
Retribution: Mice vs. Cat [+]
Wow, these are amazing. Thanks for sharing.
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I guess William Anderson gets the dubious title of first western otaku?
Japwoodcutimation!
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Awesome! Amazing sketches.
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awesome sketch! tho, they’re a little bit disturbing, but I like them! <3
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Learn something new everyday.
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These are great pictures, ones which I’ve never seen before. Great find!
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wow its awsome……
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