Ghosts
Qing dynasty (1644–1911), 1893
Medium
Album of twelve leaves; ink on paper
Dimensions
33.7 × 35.6 cm (13 1/4 × 14 in.)
Classification
album leaf
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
46356
Art Historical Context
"Ghosts," an album of twelve leaves by Yao Luan from 1893, captures the ethereal world of the supernatural during the late Qing dynasty (1644–1911). Crafted in ink on paper, measuring 33.7 × 35.6 cm, this intimate artwork exemplifies the traditional Chinese album leaf format. These portable, foldable pages were prized by scholars and collectors for private contemplation, allowing viewers to savor each leaf sequentially like turning the pages of a ghostly tale. Yao Luan, a Qing-era artist, employs masterful ink techniques—likely subtle washes and precise brushwork—to evoke spectral figures ami...