The Ghost of Oyuki

Why it's great

A pale ghost woman with long black hair, in a white robe, floats in the air with no feet. Maruyama Ōkyo, a Japanese painter from Kyoto, is said to have started the style of painting ghosts without legs. Japanese ghost stories are very popular, and this ghost is one of the most famous. It's a spooky and beautiful image.

👀 Look closer!

Ghost stories are popular in Japan. What is missing from this ghost?

Where to see it

📍 Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film ArchiveBerkeley, United States

Open in Maps ↗

Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 366 × 1,181 px · 0.4 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. The museum that owns it may offer a larger one. File page & license ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

Maruyama Ōkyo

1733–1795 · born in Minamikuwada district · died in Kyoto

Maruyama Ōkyo was born into a farming family near Kyoto and became one of the most important Japanese painters of the 1700s. He taught himself to paint from nature and was famous for his realistic animals and plants. He founded the Maruyama school. He died in Kyoto in 1795.