Aranha de terra
1880
Yoshitoshi, the last great master of the ukiyo-e tradition, certainly loved a good scare. Here, a samurai—likely the legendary hero Minamoto no Raiko—looks up in alarm as a giant, hairy spider monster looms behind a white sheet, its huge yellow eyes glowing with malice. This depicts the Tsuchigumo (Earth Spider) legend, where a monster disguised as a monk tried to kill the sick warrior, but Raiko saw through the trick and slashed it, following a trail of blood to the spider's lair. It’s a fantastic example of Yoshitoshi’s ability to mix traditional folklore with a slightly creepy, psychological tension.
- Technique
- Woodblock print
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