Kusozu

I've been really fascinated by Japanese kusozu imagery and its careful attention to the figure. A kusozu is “a graphic depiction of a corpse in the process of decay and decomposition.” In contrast with the European memento mori (artistic or symbolic rendering of mortality), kusozu focus on real phenomenon of bodily decomposition. Many kusozu come in a series of images which illustrate decomposition from a fleshy corpse to a pile of bones. Below is a series from the 18th century focusing on a noble woman’s death.