School for Spooks (Bakebake gakko) No. 3 from the series "Drawings for Pleasure" by Kyosai Rakuga (Kyōsai rakuga, dai san gō)

Gallery Purchase

This is a very significant print often referred to in scholarly publications of history regarding Japan’s struggles with Westernization. Kyosai was briefly imprisoned for creating subversive work and this print reflects his satirical perspective as he considers the attempts to introduce Western aspects of education to Japan. He uses the grotesque yokai (Japanese monsters and spirits) as characters in his social commentary to help bypass censors. This work is from the Meiji era. This work is an important early predecessor to contemporary manga.