By Maya Russell
My project is a painting of Oiwa from The Ghost Stories at Yotsuya on the Tokaido. I am doing the painting in the style of the Justice tarot card. According to Labyrinthos, the Justice tarot card represents “justice, karma, consequence, accountability, law, truth, honesty, integrity, cause and effect.” This is in line with Oiwa’s character. She is getting revenge for her death. Iemon has to face the consequences of trying so hard to get rid of someone and them covering up their death. She does this by tormenting her husband as a ghost. She makes him have strange dreams and hallucinations before someone kills him to get vengeance for Oiwa. I thought combining this story with a tarot card major arcana would make sense because tarot is a divination tool and Oiwa’s story is one of the most famous ghost stories. I also have done a different literature character as major arcana tarot card painting. I painted Sir Gawain as The Hanged Man. This makes it a series that I might continue. There are twenty-two major arcana cards so I would have to do twenty more. It might be something I do
When doing this art piece I learned that kimonos are very specific about which side of the fabric is on top. It is always the left on top of the right. Unless of course you are dead, then it is the opposite. So I have drawn Oiwa with right over left to signify that she is dead. In a similar vein, she is dressed in white to signal purity as is typical for the dead.
My process for this painting was a bit difficult. I started by doing multiple thumbnail sketches to test different compositions. I went with one where she is holding the sword but not the scales because I did not think it suited her to hold that object. I cut out some paper to the aspect ratio I wanted because I only had giant drawing paper. I sketched her on the final paper and struggled for around an hour to get the anatomy right. I don’t think I succeeded but it’s good enough. I looked up many reference images for how to draw kimonos. There were many layers to paint. I started with the flame background to emulate the lantern she comes out of. I made her skin a blue tinted white because that is how Oiwa is depicted. The kimono she wears is white but for a bit more color in the composition I added bloodstains to the bottom of the garment. I also added blood to her throat because she died from accidentally stabbing herself in the throat. Her face is stylized like japanese watercolor paintings. I used metallic silver paint for the shading to make Oiwa look more ghostly. That paint was also used for the katana and the scales. This sets those objects apart as symbols of justice.
This art piece follows in the tradition of art of this character. I do not have the skill or materials to paint her in the style that she is depicted the most in. Turning this story into a painting relates to my studies as an IDS art history major. Usually important biblical or political figures are depicted with a strong pyramid shaped structure. For example, a similar composition is used in Madonna del Prato by Raphael. Obviously my art is not on the same level as one of the great painters of the renaissance but I am using similar compositional principles. I find it interesting to use techniques that signal holiness for non biblical figures. This is especially out of the ordinary because this figure is not in the western canon at all. I am putting her on the same level of importance as the biblical Mary.
Works Cited
James R. Brandon, and Samuel L. Leiter. Kabuki Plays On Stage. Volume 3 : Darkness and Desire, 1804-1864. University of Hawaii Press, 2002. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=2113123&site=ehost-live.
“Justice Meaning – Major Arcana Tarot Card Meanings.” Labyrinthos, 7 Mar. 2001, labyrinthos.co/blogs/tarot-card-meanings-list/justice-meaning-major-arcana-tarot-card-meanings?srsltid=AfmBOooA_fAPBf20E67bIOMmMH63iaoJoNo-rKv3yAMaLGJxzuOAZiw-.
Ordinary, Curious. “The Ghost of Oiwa.” Curious Ordinary, 21 July 2021, http://www.curiousordinary.com/2021/07/ghost-oiwa.html.
“The Tragic Tale of Lady Oiwa and Adapting the Onryō for a Contemporary Audience.” From Horror to Daily Life, 21 Feb. 2017, mllemacabre.wordpress.com/2014/11/07/the-tragic-tale-of-lady-oiwa-and-adapting-the-onryo-for-a-contemporary-audience.
“What Is the White Kimono Japanese Ghosts Wear?” 百物語怪談会 Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai, 5 Feb. 2014, hyakumonogatari.com/2012/04/04/what-is-the-white-kimono-japanese-ghosts-wear.
Sprockets and Springes 