Yuurei painting – “Getsumei (moonlight)”

Yuurei/ In praise of shadows / Erotic art

Did you know that in old Japan, listening to scary ghost stories was a popular way to cool oneself down during the hot and humid summer?
During the Edo period (1603-1868), spine-chilling stories of angry ghosts became very popular, and there are many books, paintings and Ukiyo-e woodblock prints that tell of frightful apparitions haunting the world of the living.
In Japan, dusk is short, and the pitch-black night arrives quickly. People used to gather in somebody's home, sitting in a close and intimate circle, each person with a lit candle.
Each participant would then tell a Kaidan (weird tale) as terrifyingly as possible.
As the story finished, they would blow out their candle. As the stories unfolded, the room would become darker and darker, playing tricks on the participant's mind. The dark shadows that in the beginning were only in the far corners of the room now seemed to be closing in like black shapes conjured up by the imagination of the people present. As the last of the stories ended and the final candle disappeared, they were all alone in the great dark void!
If somebody now let out a loud "BOOOH!" one can imagine the icy chills quickly running down the participant's spines.
Perhaps we should all try it his summer? It could be a great way to save on the high electricity bill due to the air conditioner, and our planet would become a little bit happier because of the energy saved.

Printed on matt high quality paper. Signed and numbered limited edition of 50 copies. Each individual print is stamped with the artist’s personal read seal (hanko).

Senju’s art is rooted deeply in traditional Japanese art, especially Shunga's erotic and sensual world.

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