The belief that the moon exerts an influence on human affairs has survived rather obstinately through history. Someone mutters, “Damn! It must be a full moon!” He became a master teacher and had notable pupils such as Toshikata Mizuno and Toshihide Migita.Six patients walk into the emergency department asking for opiates while 3 code blues are announced on the PA. Many of Yoshitoshi’s late works were acclaimed at a time when western techniques of mass production such as photography were making the woodblock obsolete, breaking new ground by portraying intense human feelings through a traditional medium. This was, perhaps, a catharsis for the artist who claimed to have seen ghosts and strongly believed in supernatural beings. In 1889, the series 'New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts' started to be published, showing images of apparitions, mostly based on folklore and plays, depicted powerfully and imaginatively. 'Thirty-two Aspects of Customs and Manners', published in 1888, shows Yoshitoshi’s ability to portray emotions like no other artist of his time, presenting women of various background and eras in Japanese history, each with distinct traits. The artist’s early tendency for gore and horror was replaced by images of lyricism, calm, spirituality and psychological depth. The publishing of Yoshitoshi’s most popular series 'One Hundred Aspects of the Moon' commenced in 1885 and spanned a wide variety of subjects, such as warrior, animals, ghosts, natural phenomena, beauties and others. Supernatural themes abound in his later work, showing a fascination for old Japanese folk stories. He worked on series depicting kabuki actors, bijinga (pictures of beautiful women), warriors, monsters and ghosts. With deep cultural roots, Yoshitoshi’s style was dynamic and distinctive: he was known for experimentation in style and genre, as well as for his innovative works. Even so, many other prints from this early period show whimsical touches, with reinterpretation of themes seen in his teacher Kuniyoshi’s works. These sentiments, along with having witnessed some of the violent uprisings, influenced his early career, with intense, often disturbing images that reflect turmoil and pain. The new Meiji era (1868-1912) brought many conflicts between those loyal to tradition and those wishing to embark on a process of forced modernisation and adoption of western values. Yoshitoshi’s rise as an artist came at a time when Japan was faced with great changes and challenges. Under his teacher’s guidance, he showed exquisite draftsmanship and learned how to draw from life, something not necessarily part of the training schools of painting and illustration in Japan. When he was 11, he became a student at Kuniyoshi Utagawa’s studio. Born in Edo (today’s Tokyo), he showed a strong interest in classical Japanese literature and history. Yoshitoshi Tsukioka was one of the leading woodblock print artists during the Meiji era (1868-1912) and one of the last to work in the traditional ukiyo-e manner. Yoshitoshi skilfully captures the tragedy of the story by depicting the girl with loose hair and bare feet, holding onto the unrolling letter scroll that seems to be floating as if it has a life of its own. She wandered around the streets, rolling and unrolling the letters that he had sent her, until she also passed away. It is said that one day she received news that her lover had died and she went mad with grief. The design shows Ochiyo, a servant girl in the household of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The series was begun in 1885 and completed just before the artist's death in 1892. Yoshitoshi worked within a traditional art form, yet his drawings incorporated western techniques and were unlike any style that had come before him. It contains one hundred woodblock prints depicting various, unrelated figures from Japanese and Chinese culture, with the moon as its unifying theme and exploring a range of tones and emotions for the subjects depicted. 'One Hundred Aspects of the Moon' is one of Yoshitoshi's most popular series.
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