The Mouseion · The Season · Myths and Monsters

Myths and Monsters

Gods, demons and the uncanny

Dragons, demons, ghosts, witches and heroes. Every culture told stories about what waits in the dark, and artists gave them faces. An exhibition for the month of Halloween.

Walk inThe whole museum

When it’s on

In The Season’s hall, off the Hall: October 2026.

In the exhibition

  • Kali attacking Nisumbha
    Kali attacking Nisumbha — c. 1740, Gum tempera and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • The Demon Shutendoji, from the album Yamato Irotake — Okumura Masanobu
    The Demon Shutendoji, from the album Yamato Irotake — Okumura Masanobu (1686–1764), 1705-8, Woodblock print; sumizuri-e, ōban
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Ichikawa Danjūrō VII as Watanabe no Tsuna and Segawa Kikunojō V as the Female Demon, in “Modori Bridge” (Modoribashi) — Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III)
    Ichikawa Danjūrō VII as Watanabe no Tsuna and Segawa Kikunojō V as the Female Demon, in “Modori Bridge” (Modoribashi) — Utagawa Kunisada I (Toyokuni III) (1786–1864), 1833, Color woodblock print; surimono
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Pradyumna and Samvara fight with maces, from the "Large Basohli Bhagavata Purana"
    Pradyumna and Samvara fight with maces, from the "Large Basohli Bhagavata Purana" — c. 1760–65, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Jatayu approaches Rama and Lakshmana who are wondering where Sita could be, folio 18 (verso) from a Chandana Malayagiri Varta (Story of King Chandana and Queen Malayagiri) of Karamachand
    Jatayu approaches Rama and Lakshmana who are wondering where Sita could be, folio 18 (verso) from a Chandana Malayagiri Varta (Story of King Chandana and Queen Malayagiri) of Karamachand — 1744–45, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Sketch of Ibaraki-dōji — Shibata Zeshin
    Sketch of Ibaraki-dōji — Shibata Zeshin (1807–1891), c. 1840, hanging scroll, ink on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Tiered Court Scene — Chitarman II
    Tiered Court Scene — Chitarman II (1680–1750), c. 1735, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • The Passion: Christ in Limbo — Martin Schongauer
    The Passion: Christ in Limbo — Martin Schongauer (1450–1491), c. 1480, engraving
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • King Bana in his court, from an Usha-Aniruddha
    King Bana in his court, from an Usha-Aniruddha — c. 1760–70, Gum tempera and ink on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Martin Vanden Bogaert Desjardins — Gérard Edelinck
    Martin Vanden Bogaert Desjardins — Gérard Edelinck (1659–1743), n.d., Engraving and etching on cream wove paper
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya, from a Bhagavata Purana
    Krishna Quells the Serpent Kaliya, from a Bhagavata Purana — c. 1710, gum tempera and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Shurpanakha demands vengeance, from the "Shangri" Ramayana
    Shurpanakha demands vengeance, from the "Shangri" Ramayana — c. 1700, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • The Lantern Night Excursion of Zhong Kui — Yan Hui
    The Lantern Night Excursion of Zhong Kui — Yan Hui (1245–1315), late 1200s–early 1300s, handscroll; ink and slight color on silk
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Search the Mountain: Leaf 49
    Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Search the Mountain: Leaf 49 — 1200s, Album; ink on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Remembrance of Italy — Jean Baptiste Camille Corot
    Remembrance of Italy — Jean Baptiste Camille Corot (1801–1900), c. 1866, Etching on tan laid paper
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Self-Portrait — Walter Shirlaw
    Self-Portrait — Walter Shirlaw (1838–1909), 1878, Oil on canvas
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Ravana addresses Sita in the garden of Lanka, from Chapters 53 and 54 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey)
    Ravana addresses Sita in the garden of Lanka, from Chapters 53 and 54 of the Aranya Kanda (Book of the Forest) of a Ramayana (Rama’s Journey) — c. 1725, Gum tempera, gold, and silver on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Demon in chains — Muhammad Siya Qalam
    Demon in chains — Muhammad Siya Qalam, c. 1453, opaque watercolor and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • May: Shoki the Demon Queller Riding on a Tiger, Subjugating Goblins, from the series "Of the Twelve Months: the Fifth (Junikagetsu no uchi: gogatsu)" — Kawanabe Kyôsai
    May: Shoki the Demon Queller Riding on a Tiger, Subjugating Goblins, from the series "Of the Twelve Months: the Fifth (Junikagetsu no uchi: gogatsu)" — Kawanabe Kyôsai (1831–1889), 1887, Color woodblock prints; oban triptych
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Pradyumna Enters the Palace of the Demon Sambar and Challenges him to Battle, page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana manuscript
    Pradyumna Enters the Palace of the Demon Sambar and Challenges him to Battle, page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana manuscript — c. 1775, Opaque watercolor on paper
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Actor Ichikawa Danzô III as Shôki the Demon-Queller in “Dandyish Design: Lightning Amid Clouds” (“Date moyô kumo ni imazuma”) — Katsukawa Shunsho
    Actor Ichikawa Danzô III as Shôki the Demon-Queller in “Dandyish Design: Lightning Amid Clouds” (“Date moyô kumo ni imazuma”) — Katsukawa Shunsho (1726–1792), About 1768, Color woodblock print; hosoban
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • The actor Yamanaka Heikuro I as a demon — Torii Kiyonobu I
    The actor Yamanaka Heikuro I as a demon — Torii Kiyonobu I (1664–1729), c. 1706, Woodblock print; hosoban, sumizuri-e
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Devi Attacking a Demon
    Devi Attacking a Demon — c. 1630, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Raiko (Minamoto no Yorimitsu) and the demon kite — Totoya Hokkei
    Raiko (Minamoto no Yorimitsu) and the demon kite — Totoya Hokkei (1780–1850), c. 1825, Color woodblock print; shikishiban surimono
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • The Warrior Ômori Hikoshichi Carrying a Demon on His Back — Katsukawa Shunsho
    The Warrior Ômori Hikoshichi Carrying a Demon on His Back — Katsukawa Shunsho (1726–1792), About 1772, Color woodblock print; chûban
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Gamo Sadahide's Servant, Toki Motosada, Hurling a Demon King to the Ground at Mount Inahana, from the series "New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts (Shinkei sanjuroku kaisen)" — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
    Gamo Sadahide's Servant, Toki Motosada, Hurling a Demon King to the Ground at Mount Inahana, from the series "New Forms of Thirty-Six Ghosts (Shinkei sanjuroku kaisen)" — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), 1890, Color woodblock print
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • The Goddess Annihilates the Demon Raktabija, from a Devi-Mahatmya
    The Goddess Annihilates the Demon Raktabija, from a Devi-Mahatmya — c. 1640, gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Otafuku Throwing Black Beans to Chase Away the Demons on New Year's Eve (Senmen Otafuku zu) — Tōshūsai Sharaku
    Otafuku Throwing Black Beans to Chase Away the Demons on New Year's Eve (Senmen Otafuku zu) — Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794/95, Fan print, stencil-printed color on paper
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Varaha, Boar Incarnation of Vishnu
    Varaha, Boar Incarnation of Vishnu — 700–800s, sandstone
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Kali
    Kali — 900s–1000s, bronze
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Shiva as Slayer of the Elephant Demon
    Shiva as Slayer of the Elephant Demon — 1000s, granite
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini)
    Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini) — Kushan period, 2nd century, Molded terracotta
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Demon Covering Shoki
    Demon Covering Shoki — early to mid-1800s, ivory
    Original: The Cleveland Museum of Art
  • Armored Guardian King (Tianwang) Trampling Demon
    Armored Guardian King (Tianwang) Trampling Demon — Tang dynasty (618–907 A.D.), first half of 8th century, Earthenware with three color (sancai) lead glazes and traces of pigments
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini)
    Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon (Mahishasuramardini) — 6th century, Sandstone
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon
    Goddess Durga Slaying the Buffalo Demon — 9th century, Bronze inlaid with silver
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago
  • Armored Guardian King (Tianwang) Trampling Demon
    Armored Guardian King (Tianwang) Trampling Demon — Tang dynasty (618–907), first half of 8th century, Earthenware with three-color (sancai) lead glazes
    Original: The Art Institute of Chicago

Where the works come from

Every work in the Mouseion is a real piece, out of copyright everywhere, shown from the open collections of the museums that hold it — each label names the original’s museum and links to its page there.