Woodblock Print by Ginko Adachi: Curse of Prince Raigo, Framed

Smoke curls up from a brazier, and the rats are already gathering at his feet.

Curse of Prince Raigo is a framed woodblock print by Ginko Adachi, from Japan, dated 1896. It is ink on paper. The legend of the monk Raigo, whose fury was said to have turned into a swarm of rats, was a popular subject for Japanese artists drawn to the supernatural. A bald, bearded figure in a blue robe and orange stole sits behind a black and gold altar box, flames leaping from its center. Dark smoke drifts across a gray sky, and a trail of small rats scatters across the ground. A seal and signature sit at right. It is 23.25 inches wide and 20 high.

Never underestimate a man with a grievance and a fire.