The decomposition of a corpse and a monument to the dead, Kitō Dōkyō, 19th century

Ink, watercolor, and gouache on silk, laid down on paper

Bonding time❣️

One of my pieces for Kindred: a Choso Zine

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chosozine.bigcartel.com

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Kobayashi Eitaku, Body of a Courtesan in Nine Stages, ca. 1870s, ink and colour on silk handscroll, 25.5 x 501.5 cm, British Museum. 

   “The scroll shows the stages of decomposition of the body of a woman, beginning with her fully clothed body and ending with her bones being eaten by dogs. The subject (kusozu) is an ancient Buddhist one, treating of the transience of the physical body, but which later assumed didactic functions relating to the proper conduct of women. In this example, however, the theme is given a new and somewhat prurient twist by its featuring of a prostitute as the subject. The work intersects with the world of erotic pictures (shunga) and gives a very useful counterpoint for studying that genre. 

Detail from  Body of a Courtesan in Nine Stages of Decomposition (1870) by Kobayashi Eitaku 小林 永濯, (Japanese, 1843-1890), in which dogs scavenge decomposing flesh.   is one of the best-known examples of kusōzu, or a Japanese genre of painting, rooted in Buddhist ideals, focusing on the dead.  Collection of @britishmuseum British Museum #2008,3033.1.  

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_2008-3033-1

I think I might be obsessed with kusozu, Japanese watercolor paintings that graphically depict human decomposition, which were popular between the 13th and 19th centuries.  Body of a Courtesan in Nine Stages is another series in this genre featured previously on this site.  Kusozu works of art were inspired by Buddhist beliefs and these paintings were meant to encourage people to ponder the temporary nature of the physical world.  Kusozu watercolors also happen to be fantastic early studies of human decay and taphonomy, which is why they are currently on display as part of the Forensics: The Anatomy of Crime exhibit in London.

The above panels are part of a series titled Kusozu: the death of a noble lady and the decay of her body. They illustrate nine stages of decay that include: (1) the woman’s impending death and her preparation for it; (2) the noble woman has just passed away and her loved ones are seated around her; (3) slight skin discoloration (maybe some liver mortis) and a bit of bloating of during early decomposition; (4) the onset of putrefaction with bloating and marbling; (5) advanced decomposition as seen by pervasive marbling, leakage of purge fluid from the mouth, and the abdominal cavity has burst open (6) caving of abdominal cavity and scavenging animals; (7) start of skeletonization and the disappearance of soft tissue; (8) complete skeletonization and scattering of remains; (9) finally human remains have been completely scattered or consumed by unseen animals so all that remains is a memorial for the deceased woman.