Detail of a Yōkai from 'Books and Bookmen'

The image focuses on the upper profile of a mythical creature or ghost. The figure has thick, dark, textured hair that dominates the upper and right portions of the frame. Its nose is prominent and slightly hooked, and its eye is slanted, looking toward the left. The mouth is open, revealing a long, pale tongue that extends outward from between the lips. The image uses high-contrast hatching and line work typical of Meiji-era book illustrations to create shading and texture.

This image reflects the 19th-century interest in Japanese folklore and the 'yōkai' tradition, likely sourced from a collection of woodblock prints depicting supernatural entities or 'bakemono' popular in late Edo and early Meiji period literature.