Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons 1890

Curator: Ah, yes. Kawanabe Kyōsai’s *Kyōsai’s Pictures of One Hundred Demons* from 1890. This complete woodblock print book is on display at the Met. The moment I saw this work I imagined fantastic beasts! What's your first impression? Editor: It feels more like an ancient text or perhaps a stamp collection, like a historical document… almost otherworldly, you know? The series of red and black seals make me wonder, what do they all signify? Curator: Good eye! It is easy to imagine this work holding ancient secrets. But these aren't mere illustrations; they are keys to understanding a world brimming with folklore. Look at how each seal tells its own micro-narrative. These shapes capture a cultural moment! Editor: Are they purely decorative? Curator: Oh, not at all! The seals, each with a different image, refer to a range of people from publishers, block cutters and even the artist himself! It seems they created their own secret language right on the page. And by placing these artistic calling cards so visibly, they ask the question of us today "What do *you* see?" Editor: I never thought about them telling mini-stories or being artistic calling cards. Fascinating! Curator: Indeed. This book gives you permission to step away from being only an observer and step into a realm where ink speaks and demons whisper, daring to reimagine what is possible within this oneiric collection. Editor: Thinking about the narrative hidden in each seal is a new perspective I hadn’t considered. I see this very differently now.