Demon in Disguise as an Old Woman Fleeing with a Severed Arm (Rōba kiwan o mochisaru zu), from the series New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts (Shinkei sanjÅ«roku kaisen) 1889

Curator: What strikes me immediately is the sheer kinetic energy in this print. It's unsettling, like a nightmare taking flight. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at "Demon in Disguise as an Old Woman Fleeing with a Severed Arm," part of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's "New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts" series, now held at the Harvard Art Museums. Curator: Yoshitoshi really captures the monstrous feminine here. It's a commentary, perhaps, on societal anxieties about female power and deception. Editor: Or maybe it's just Yoshitoshi being wonderfully weird. That arm—gruesome, yet it adds this darkly humorous touch. I mean, who runs off with just an arm? Curator: It’s not simply about shock value. These ghost prints were incredibly popular, reflecting a fascination with the supernatural. It’s the public role of art. Editor: Maybe, but I see a master playing with our expectations, creating something both terrifying and strangely beautiful. Curator: A perfect balance, reflecting both the social context and the artist’s unique perspective. Editor: Exactly, blending social commentary with individual brilliance. It really is a captivating piece.