1837
paint
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
The Monster of Good and Evil and Others is a 1837 paint by Utagawa (Gountei) Sadahide, a Romanticism work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
You see a sheet of paper crowded with monsters—some grinning, some scowling, all drawn from two sides. The figures at the top right hold fans: one labeled "good," the other "evil." They’re mirror images, meant to be cut out and flipped. This wasn’t just art—it was a toy. People glued the two sides together, so the monster could switch faces. The drawing was a template for a print, designed to be played with, not just looked at. If you like this playful mix of art and games, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum—they have more of these clever designs.
This is a finished print design featuring multiple monsters depicted in pairs from opposite sides, with each figure sharing the same outline but reversed. In the top right, two figures holding fans represent the same monster, one labeled with the Chinese character for "good" and the other for "evil." The playful concept aligns with the Japanese term *bakemono*, meaning "things that change," and the prints were intended to be cut out, assembled back-to-back, and used as toys.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Utagawa Sadahide , also known as Gountei Sadahide, was a Japanese artist best known for his prints in the ukiyo-e style as a member of the Utagawa school.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
