'iga no tsubone'
high-quality giclee print
A5 size, 350gsm
 
This is my interpretation of Iga no Tsubone, a Japanese woodblock print originally created in 1886 by Yoshitoshi Tsukioka as part of his famous series ‘One Hundred Aspects of the Moon’. 
 
Under a glowing moon, the court lady Iga no Tsubone stands firm, confronting a ghostly, winged spirit. Her calm presence and unwavering gaze contrast sharply with the wild, tortured figure before her, the ghost of Sasaki no Kiyotaka, a disgraced official who died by imperial command after leading the Emperor to flee under false advice.
 
Even in death, Kiyotaka found no peace. His restless spirit haunted the exiled court, sowing fear among those who once served him. Only Iga no Tsubone, with quiet strength and loyalty, dared to face him. In this dramatic moment, captured in Yoshitoshi’s dynamic lines and eerie lighting, she banishes the ghost forever.
 
I wanted to show the courage of a woman who stands alone against terror. The moon above, a recurring symbol in the series, watches over the scene, casting light on both the mortal and the ghost.