Sawaki Suushi
February 27, 2008 - By Bobby Solomon - Category: Art
People drawing weird-ass monsters these days is a dime a dozen, but drawing weird-ass monsters in 18th century Japan? That’s what I’d call an innovator. Pink Tentacle has a really post about Japanese artist Sawaki Suushi who was known for his youkai, or art that depicted monsters and ghosts and other spirits. The painting above is from ‘Hyakkai Zukkan’, which was a picture scroll finished in 1737. 1737!!!
I love the Japanese, but man they’ve been weirdos forever! The best the old Europeans could come up with were dragons and other lame things. it makes me wonder if people were actually afraid of these sorts of creatures and spirits or if they were the equivalent of old wives tales. Either way these paintings are totally rad and beautiful. Definitely head over to Pink Tentacle and check out the rest of the paintings along with descriptions of the beasts!
Bobby
Comments
If you've got something to say, keep it positive.might want to check this blog too
http://monsterbrains.blogspot.com/
and thanks for censoring me on the obama post hopefully you wont censor something irrelevant
peace
:) Beautiful is hardly the word to describe it..
I find Japanese mythology to be the most colored and rich in all kinds of creatures, spirits, monsters..etc.
And why Europe seams to have so little of these?
Well, we must not forget there were churches and priests ruling the minds of the common people, from behind kings..
People got burned, tortured and killed if accused with witchcraft; or even if just found owning a Bible..
Imagine what the poor human would’ve got if he/she would’ve been found drawing monsters and illustrations to tales about spirits..