#aobanagami

[hannadeutscher]

Aobana-gami technique

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Restorative Reproducing of Ukiyo-e Print,partⅡ, taking the example of Utagawa Kunisada's print.

I used to be a traditional printer, but I was influenced by Mr.Inuki Tachihara's reproducing work, and I have been reproducing by myself, including the materials such as paints and paper of the original ukiyoe prints in the Edo period.

If reproducing is done according to the methodology of a traditional carver and printer, the finished print as a result has a strong character as "an improved product". Even if it is made with the cooperation of first-class carver and printer, first-class museum and ukiyo-e researcher, it is to be what has various contradictions as an accurate reproduction woodblock print at the substantial aspects of producing and finished product. Aiming to make a beautiful print by a higher skill level of carving and printing than in the Edo period, using improved modern color materials and washi paper as they do, seems to me that it is fundamentally a little different from aiming to reproduce the print of the Edo period truly.

I departed from such conventional way of reproduction, and I have been working on reproducing with the theme of "reproducibility", which is as reproducing ukiyoe prints as the same quality as those that had just been printed up in the Edo period, both in terms of materials, and the skill level of carving and printing. And I named that "Restorative Reproducing".

This time, I've just completed the second work, so I would like to introduce the details. (The previous article about "the Restorative Reproducing, partⅠ" is available in the following link.)

The following is a description about the reproducing this time.

①About the original print.

It's "New Higurashi (Shin Higurashi):Double Blossoms,Single Blossoms,Mountain Cherry (Yae, Hitoe, Yamazakura),from the series Cherry-blossom Viewing Spots in Edo(Edo hanami tsukushi)", by Utagawa Kunisada.

It is my personal collection that I purchased from an ukiyo-e dealer.

Regarding the year of its publication, the ukiyo-e dealer said, "It is difficult to specify, but it is about mid-Tempo.The time of printing is relatively close to that of the first edition".

However, as described below, when the paints were analyzed at a later date, the use of prussian blue was not detected, and indigo and aobanagami were detected as blue paints. Therefore, it was also thought that the possibility that it was before the early Tenpo era was high.

②About the paints.

Not a few of the paints on ukiyoe prints cannot be judged or are difficult to estimate with the naked eye, so doing scientific analysis to the original print is useful for the reproducing. I asked Mr. Takuji Yamada of Ryukoku University for this time paints analysis, and the analysis methods this time were microscope magnification observation, fluorescent X-ray analysis, visible reflectance spectroscopic analysis, and infrared camera.

As a result of paints analysis, the following paints were estimated to have been used at each part in the figure below. (Each number corresponds to that in the figure.)

01ーsafflower 02ーred iron oxide 03ーindigo and orpiment

04ーsafflower 05ーindigo and orpiment

06ーindigo and orpiment 07ーsafflower and aobanagami

08ーsafflower and aobanagami 09ーindigo and orpiment

10－safflower 11ーsumi 12ーred iron oxide 13ーsafflower

14ーsafflower 15ーorpiment 16ーsafflower

Based on the results of this analysis, the paints used for the reproducing are as following.

Sumi: I used the current Suzuka sumi of oil soot by the soaked sumi method.

Orpiment (artificial) : Based on recent research about artificial orpiment in ukiyo-e prints, the orpiment in this original print is natural one. However, since I couldn't procure natural one for this time, I used artificial.The production of artificial has already been discontinued in Japan, but it seems that it was still being produced at least at the end of the Showa era, and this time I obtained the stock of that time and used.

Safflower: I used safflower cakes as raw materials made at "大賀藕絲館" in Machida city,Tokyo, and made safflower paint by myself referring to the book,大関増業編, "彩色類聚巻之下",1817. When I used the paint, I used acid solution of plum.

Aobanagami: I used one produced currently in Kusatsu city, Shiga.

Red iron oxide: From the analysis result, it was estimated to be red iron oxide of sulfate of iron. So,I used one by the current 西江邸 in Fukiya , which is made by burning and splashing sulfate of iron made from iron pyrrhotite ore, as like in the Edo period.

Indigo: Indigo is used in the original print ,which can be seen as indistinguishable from prussian blue with the naked eye. Judging from the date of publication of the original print,it is probable that this was made by the extraction method by boiling indigo-dyed cloth with lime and starch syrup.But,in this reproducing,I used a mix of the three as the following, "made by myself using ready-made indigo dyed yarn by the method above", "made by the bubble of indigo dyeing solution by lye fermentation", and "ready-made chemically synthesized pigment" .

This reason is that I in the middle of this time reproducing had the opportunity to receive an indigo bubble from Mr. Ranshu Yano, an indigo dyer in Tokushima,and I also wanted to confirm the following assumptions based on my own experience of doing the extraction method by boiling and researching of literature until then.The assumption is ,“both the methods of indigo bubble and the boiling leave dullness in the finished paint, and the former method is duller than the latter.But those dullnesses are due to the lye content, and the lye-removing operation in the process will eventually give them both a clear blue color."

However, due to the amount of raw materials in the experimenting and the result that although the removing of lye from both methods increases the bluishness of the color, but it seemed that it would not become a prussian blue color as like the original, so I needed to use chemically synthesized pigment when printing. At this time, I haven't figured out how to make the indigo paint like prussian blue, which existed in the Edo period.

In addition, when I used sumi,orpiment,red iron oxide and indigo,I  mixed with cowhide glue that does not use chemicals or additives. In addition, I added starch paste when I was printing  12 (red iron oxide) ,07 and 08 (safflower and aobanagami) parts . (There is an old book that mentions paste was not used in the past. Based on the color texture of the original print, I felt that no paste was necessary, so I basically decided not to use paste. However, when printing those parts, I decided to add paste due to those color textures when I actually printed it. )

③About the paper

The dimensions of the original print is about 25×37cm.

When analysing the paints mentioned above, it was found that the paper of the original print is mulberry paper containing rice flour, but I couldn't carried out further investigation at this time.

I have had Mr.Ryoji Tamura,a craftsman of Tosa Washi,make custom paper that has the characteristics that are considered to be somewhat common in ukiyoe  paper in the Edo period, and I used this paper for reproducing this time.

The characteristics that are held down are:

1:To be thin. 2:To be tosa mulberry paper. 3:To use natural lye in boiling mulberry process. 4:To contain rice flour. 5:To make the grain of the paper, which can be seen when the paper is held through the light, cross the short side of the paper finely with respect to the long side. 6:To leave a certain amount of dust or dregs of mulberry in the finished paper.

However, regarding 4, the amount of rice flour added was set at 50% against the raw material weight of mulberry. This is   the average value when I asked the Kochi Prefectural Paper Industry Technology Center to analyze the paper of six ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period.Also, regarding 5, due to the nowadays papermaking tools, it is not reached the state of the general ukiyo-e prints in the Edo period.

When using paper, I did sizing . The glue is the same as mentioned above, and the alum was made by myself from aluminum sulfate and wood ash, referring to the method of making artificial alum in the Edo period.

④About carving and printing.

I used four woodblocks of mountain cherry.

In the society of the traditional carvers, it is not uncommon for the lines of the original prints to be omitted when reproducing.Or, even if he says,"I carve and reproduce lines that are completely faithful to the original as being indistinguishable from the original", it does not mean to carve and reproduce the same lines as the original as if it is like a copying at face value.

In that ,it seems that there is a lot of implication included, that "I do not omit the original lines, but I make corrections to the parts that are not well carved such as broken lines and chipped out lines to make the lines more beautiful than the original ."

It also seems to be like "recreating of an idea (which doesn't exist on the original print in front of )" of each ukiyoe artist's line as Hokusai's , Hiroshige's and so on.

Whether it is the former example or the latter example, in the society of the traditional carvers, it seems that carving“alive line”which is sharp and vigorous exists as one of the important values.

Such kinds of skill value also exists in printers, and if we do reproducing according to the methodologies of the traditional carvers and printers, various contradictions will arise in reproducing focused on reproducibility.

Apart from making the same prints as the original prints, in a way that contradicts that, there seems to be the senses of values regarding the skills in the traditional carvers and printers.

But in my opinion, since it seems that craftsmen from poor skills to good skills were typically all-together involved as making for one ukiyoe print in the Edo period, and many of ukiyoe prints are said to have been sold as the price of a bowl of soba noodles, so it seems that it was impossible for one ukiyoe print to be carved and printed well from corner to corner, and it is natural that there are some parts that were not carved or printed well. Even if in the first class impression which was carefully made, if we look closely the original print, we could find technical mistakes in carving and printing such as chipped lines, color misregistration,etc.

Even if there was a ukiyoe print that has no such technical mistakes, I think it is a "special exception", and considering the skill standards of carving and printing in the Edo period,I don't think it should be standardized. The skill standard of carvers and printers seems to have changed by the periods, and it seems that it became more advanced especially around the Meiji period. When reproducing ukiyo-e prints of the Edo period, I think the skill level of the carver and printer in the Edo period should be considered and taken, not the level of the modern carver and printer after having undergone such advancements in skill.

Even if it's the first impression, the original ukiyoe print has some rough parts in carving and printing quality, but those are features of the ukiyoe of the Edo period, so shouldn't be ignored as reproducing, I think.

In addition to those, although it is not SoetsuYanagi's thought, I feel that the parts on the original prints, which are not well carved or printed are also deeply related to the original beauty of ukiyoe prints in the Edo period.

Putting aside such the subjective question of whether it is beautiful or not, since the goal of this reproducing at least was to "reproduce the same quality as the original print which is just printed up in the Edo period", so I dedicated to reproduce the parts that are not well carved or printed on the original print as they are, as long as they did not very interfere for appreciating.

⑤About comparison photos.

It is often difficult to convey the reproducibility of a reproduction unless a comparison is done with its original print.

Although there is not a few parts that I couldn't reproduce well due to my skill problems, and such the texture of the paper can't be conveyed, but I put some copies of the original and my reproduction so that you could use as a reference for comparison in somewhat.

the original

my reproduction

backside of the original

backside of my reproduction

In the following each photo, the above one is the original and the below is my reproduction.

[foodoliplife]

Email Chains as well as other Propaganda Tools&For Purchase: Exemplary Woodblock Remake

Email Chains as well as other Propaganda Tools&For Purchase: Exemplary Woodblock Remake

The communications of pro-Kremlin disinformation might vary from nation to nation, because may the equipment and networks for distributing it. But one aspect is typical: the approach that is negative the EU and NATO.

Such is among the conclusions associated with the current research “Information warfare on the web: Countering pro-Kremlin disinformation within the CEE countries” published by the Warsaw-based Centre for International Relations. The paper covers the information area into the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Firstly, the networks employed for distributing disinformation that is pro-Kremlin each nation are analysed. Whereas within the Republic that is czech there around 40 sites included, as well as in Hungary also 80 to 100, in Poland the authors highlight the application of the commentary chapters of news outlets.

Among less analysed, but excessively influential tools, e-mail chains are mentioned. These are typically very difficult to trace, however they spread commonly on the list of senior population in particular. In this scholarly research, Hungary is mentioned while the nation where this channel is employed most. The Czech online Aktualne that is daily.cz recently talked about this device, too.

“Globalist elites planned the refugee crisis���

The section that is second of country-related an element of the research covers the key narratives spread by the disinformation-oriented outlets. In a few regarding the nations, the core communications are tailored to regional market – when you look at the Czech Republic, for instance, the pro-Kremlin outlets consider anti-refugee texting and accusing the “globalist elites” of preparing this conspiracy.

Additionally in Poland, the organisers for the disinformation campaign need to be really receptive to the details of an area market that will barely be persuaded by more messaging that is openly pro-Kremlin. Therefore, the propaganda in Poland concentrates mostly on undermining the relations between this nation and Ukraine.

But, even as we read within the research, “pro-Kremlin disinformation against Hungary produced surprisingly few content tailored especially into the audience that is hungarian. This is certainly a crucial huge difference if in comparison to Poland.” Plus in Moldova, also some Russian advertising could be very effective – and thus even absurd communications like “NATO prepares a nuclear war with Russia and Moldova are going to be one of many battlefields” get spread in this nation.

The authors conclude their research with some suggestions, included in this:

Provide products that are myth-busting nationwide languages, through conventional stations;

usage alert-systems to inform federal government officials and reporters about a danger of disinformation;

convene workshops that are regular civil servants;

unveil who is behind the internet sites distributing disinformation that is mail order wife pro-Kremlin

title and pity the authors for the disinformation tales;

raise understanding about pro-Kremlin disinformation through advertising.

On the market: Excellent Woodblock Remake regarding the Dream of this Fisherman’s Wife Print

Finally…we are extremely delighted to announce – for the very first time in over 100 years – a fresh genuine woodblock reproduction of Hokusai’s acclaimed The Dream of this Fisherman’s Wife of 1814. This remake that is unique produced by Yuuya Shimoi, who’s mostly of the professional woodcut craftsmen involved in Japan today.

‘The Dream for the Fisherman’s Wife Print on the market‘ (2018)

Painstakingly

Shimoi made new obstructs and painstakingly created, carved and printed it into the conventional way, one block for every single color. It really is his fantasy to allow the modern fans feel the feeling that is authentic of ukiyo-e images from the Edo duration, and not to see them as ornamental product.

Green and Pink

This elaborate remake really shows the complete authentic feel of this initial including all of the features with exemplary green and red color. The applied pigments, in this full case, sumi, turmeric, indigo, sufflower red and aobanagami, have already been very carefully chosen.

Elaborate Analysis

Most of the authentic materials because found in the Edo duration already disappeared with no craftsman that is traditional in Japanese woodblock images today has inherited this. Because of this, the print that is contemporary needs to elaborately research these types of details and produce them himself.

Original Opportunity

Few reproductions of Hokusai’s image that is iconic understood. Years back i stumbled upon one through the Meiji age (1868-1912) and also the vendor had connected a hefty cost to it (near to $3000,-!). But so far as we all know, perhaps not a different one was manufactured in the century that is last. And this may be an opportunity that is unique you to definitely finally get one.

Rear first state

The image size of the reproduction that is amazing near to the original one. Image dimensions are 7 x that is 1/3 1/4? ins (18,7 x 13,4cm). Total size (including margin): 11 2/5? x 8 4/5? ins (29 x 22cm).

Two Editions

It’ll be issued in 2 editions; one of the primary state (using more costly materials approaching the initial a lot more) and a 2nd state. The printing into the above pictures may be the state version that is second. The task is printed on Japanese washi paper.

[hannadeutscher]

Aizuri-e and Aigami

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Introducing of Ukiyoe paint ,"Aobana-gami青花紙(Ai-gami藍紙)"

"This paint is made of a flower dye called Aobana.

It cannot be stored in the form of liquid or dried powder, so it is stored as soaked and dried in paper.

When using it as a paint, the dyeing liquid comes out once the paper is soaked in water.

Currently, there is only one producer remaining in Shiga prefecture in Japan.

One of the characteristics of this paint is that it easily fades.

The color can rarely be confirmed in the original prints of the Edo period.

Its color changes to colorless, gray or tan over time.

From the latter half of the 1810s, the frequency of use of indigo paint increased, but before that, this paint had been the main blue paint in ukiyoe prints."

Special Thanks: Kouji Sugahara and Yousuke Suemitsu

Note:

Commelina communis (dayflowers) has been used as a coloring material for a long time in Japan, and its use can be seen from the songs in "Manyoshu万葉集"(8C).

In modern times, "aobana" refers to "ohboushibana"(Commelina communis var.hortensis Makino), which is a cultivated variety of Commelina communis, but in ancient times it was used as a common name for Commelina communis.

It is unknown when aobana, which is a cultivated variety, was born, but in 平賀源内「物類品隲」（1763）, it is mentioned that the dayflowers in Shiga (Ohmi) are much larger than ordinary dayflowers.

Also, it is unknown when aobanagami, a form of "paper impregnated with dyeing liquid", was invented, but in 経尊「名語記」（1274）the word "Aobana" is written as the name of Japanese paper soaked with petal juice. And the first appearance of the name "Aobanagami" in literature materials is said to be 松江重頼「毛吹草」 (1645), and the book mentions Aobanagami as a specialty product of Ohmi .

There are some unknowns about the usage of "aobana" as a coloring material in history, but with the development of Yuzen dyeing from around the Genroku period (1688-1704), it can be seen from the literature that aobanagami was useful as a coloring material for sketches in dyeing and weaving such as Yuzen dyeing because of its nature of "flowing down into the water", and was actively produced.

In Ukiyo-e,as an early work, there is an example of its detection in Ishikawa Toyonobu "Shichifukujin Takarabune" published around 1760.

In Nishiki-e, which began with Suzuki Harunobu at the beginning of the Meiwa period (1764-72), when focusing on the transition of blue color, aobanagami has been used as the main blue paint until around middle of the Bunsei period (1818-29).And then, indigo (which had been used more frequently since the late 1810s little by little) becomes the main blue paint after that.（I will talk about prussian blue next time.）

However, this transition of blue paint is when focusing on the blue parts of works, and when focusing on the green parts, it seems that indigo is used more proactively than aobanagami from an early stage.（Indigo doesn't tend to fade, so we can judge its use.）I wonder why that.

Example of use (1) An example of fading of aobanagami. (From the original.) Resource: (Caution : "shunga site") https://shungagallery.com/hokusai-for-sale/

Example of use (2) The blue part is where aobanagami is used. (From my reproducing work.)

Aobanagami is rarely used alone after the middle of the Bunsei period, but it is used until the end of the Edo period as a paint to mix with red to produce purple.

（ In the Meiji era, "purple powder" and "scarlet+prussian blue" come to be used for purple. I am not familiar with purple powder and scarlet, so I will introduce them in the future if I have the opportunity.）

Demand for aobanagami in ukiyo-e ended in the Edo period, and in the field of dyeing and weaving such as Yuzen dyeing, which was probably the pillar of demand, demand came to decrease due to "kimono away" and the development of synthetic aobana dyeing.（It was also used as a food coloring according to the literature of the Meiji era.)

It is said that there were 350 farms of the paint in the first half of the Meiji era, and in 2020, there is only one farm in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture.The paint is in demand by some dyeing and weaving artists, and it meets my need to reproduce ukiyo-e.

(In recent years, the ingredients contained in aobana have attracted attention and the demand for health foods has increased, so while the production of the paint is in danger of survival, the cultivation of aobana as a plant is expanding.However, it is the stems and leaves that contain healthy ingredients, and the cutting work is done before the flowers bloom.）

In the existing way and aspect of ukiyo-e reproducing, I sometimes happen to see that it is said that the reproducing work , which has been printed in gray or yellow blown color that aobanagami has undergone aging, is a reproduction of the original first state of ukiyo-e that was printed up in the Edo period.

It sometimes makes me unfortunate that the knowledge and recognition of aobanagami is not recognized in the society of traditional woodblock printing.

Please refer to the article in the following link for info of the manufacturing method of aobanagami.

https://ukiyoereproduction.com/post/624867656174043136/%E3%83%BCabout-making-method-of-aobanagamione-of-the

Reference:

竹内久兵衛「実業応用絵具染料考」（1887）

小泉栄次郎編「実用色素新説:一名・絵具染料案内」（1894）

石井研堂「錦絵の彫と摺」（1929）

松井��男・南由紀子編「浮世絵の名品に見る「青」の変遷」（2012）

目黒区美術館「色の博物誌」（2016）

東京文化財研究所「青花紙製作技術に関する共同調査報告書」（2018）

(Additional example of use of aobanagami , from the original pic. You can see the fading of the paint as its blue color is leaving on the right side a little. ) Resource: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/56882?searchField=All&sortBy=Relevance&ft=harunobu&offset=20&rpp=20&pos=40

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Paints of UkiyoeーAobanagami②: about making method of aobanagami（one of the original blue pigments of ukiyoe of the edo era）.

I this summer participated in the experience of making aobanagami青花紙 which is the blue pigment from aobana青花（commelina communis var.hortensis Makino）. Originally, it was a year-round experience project from sowing to the completion of pigment, but it was held only for one day due to the influence of corona.

The pigment has been actively produced in the Kusatsu area of ​​Shiga Prefecture for a long time, but at present, there is only one producer farm in Kusatsu city around Japan.

I think that it was very meaningful to learn how to make this pigment ,not only for researching and restoring ukiyo-e , but in that respect as well.

At the venue, the blue flower（aobana） garden .

↑ This is Tsuyukusa露草（ commelina communis L） that bloomed in the garden of my house. In early summer in Japan, we often see this carefully watching the flowers on the roadside. Aobana青花（ Commelina communis var.hortensis Makino）are a cultivated variety of that. (However, "和漢三才図会" (寺島良安 1712) states that tsuyukusa is ubiquitous, and that it is used as a raw material for aobanagami. So, in the old days, the raw material of aobanagami was not necessarily aobana, but there was a possibility that it was tsuyukusa.）

First, pick the blue flowers. The flowers start blooming around 5 am and shrink at noon, so must be picked from early morning.

After picking the flowers, use a colander to select the petals and other unnecessary parts.

Thoroughly crush the selected petals, and at the same time the dye oozes out.

Dye the liquor through a cloth (this is done twice).

The dye solution obtained in this way is applied to Japanese handmade paper with a brush.The dye cannot be stored as liquids or powders, it is stored as being soaked in paper.

After pulling, expose to sunlight and dry the paper. When it is dry, repeat the procedure of "painting the dye and drying" in the same way. (This time, due to the weather, the drying work did not proceed and we could not do the work of applying the dye liquor as expected.) Professionals will continue to apply the work until 100g of Japanese paper reaches about 400g.

When using, soak a piece of the dried paper in water and the dyeing liquid will come out.

Someday in the future,I would like to grow the flowers myself and make this pigment.

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

-The Reproducing Process of Hokusai Shunga, "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife".-

(Note this is a re-post from my facebook page last winter.)

It has 11printing process using 4blocks.Used pigments are sumi,turmeric,sufflower red,aobanagami and indigo. In those, sufflower, turmeric and indigo are my self-made pigments. The paper is special ordered one.(The detailing of this paper is in this link, https://ukiyoereproduction.com/post/189070149052/description-of-the-special-ordered-paper-i )

1 Sumi To make it be similar as the original, I printed the left side  to be paler than the right.The original was printed separately in each since it is a book.So,some colores are difference in each other.  

2 Sufflower red gradation

3 Turmeric It is difficult to recognise in some colores what a kind of  pigments was used on the originai by just looking (besides it is  a copy of book ) .The yellow is one of such those.It needs a  scientific analysis to find out in fact.                                   It was made by boiling,grinding and filtering by myself.

   4 Sufflower red 

5 Aobanagami on the back This is one of the original blue pigments of ukiyoe print and the easiest discolored pigment in the all original pigment. It turns to grey or yellow brown by time passing. It is  rarely maintained in the original  ukiyoe . I think its color is characteristic of a reproduction.Probably ,no one use it in reproduction except me. It is dye so has no grain and tends to permeant.It seems difficult to restore this color by using other chemical pigment.

6 Green by indigo and turmeric The yellow is  a little stronger but not as turmeric,indigo doesn't tend to discolor so the green must be more blue in the future. 

7 Once again just for the left to close to the original image (Note the original was printed separately in each side since it was book.)

8 Sufflower red in the small part.

9 Sufflower red 

10 Once again sufflower red for only the head of the small octopus.

11Sumi 

Complete. I made the interval between each sides smaller  but the  pictures themselves are the same sizes as the original.I restored the lines including chips and distorted as possible as I can. It seems be more harder  to do so strictly than carving beautiful smooth lines.By and large,I could make my work up to the next level. 

↑ The each right side is the copy of the original and the left is my reproduction.

 ↑The each left side is the copy of the original and the right is my reproduction

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Blue:Classified into 3kinds. ･"Bero-ai"（ベロ藍)　This is prussian blue. There were probably more several kinds of prussian blue in the edo period and they are not researched well yet. The manufacture method of prussian blue nowadays varies from the ones in the edo and probably its color, too. I really want to make out and get them some day in the future. Until a few decades ago, prussian blue called " kin-bero"（金ベロ) was used in printers. I am using this now. This one is a little darker than usual one. At present,the name of prussian blue in ukiyoe is integrated to same one name, "bero-ai", but in the edo, there must have been various names along each type of prussian blue with more variation. The first year of introduction of prussian blue to ukiyoe prints was 1829 though the first use within pictures is said to be in Ito Jakuchu（伊藤若沖) painting in 1766. It was first imported from the Netherlands but one from China came to be mainstream from the latter half of 1820s.（Note that the first year of introduction of prussian blue to ukiyoe is the case focused on Edo -ukiyoe, but it was used much earlier in Kamigata-ukiyoe that had been published around Osaka today. It's said to be than about 1810 at least. ) ･"Hon-ai"（本藍) This is indigo. There are two types. The one is made from scums on the dye liquor when indigo dye is done.The other is made by boiling indigo dye cloth and collecting the scum. I have already made and used the pigment by the latter way so I am going to introduce in the near future, though the first has as yet been scarcely dealt with. The color by the first is said to have a little grey and green and looks to have been used in the period of "benizurie"（紅摺絵) pre- multi color printing . I haven't got to know yet when the latter indigo was introduced to ukiyoe in the first time but its manufacture and distribution could have been established in about 1820 since the use of this pigment started to increase more and more at that period. There is another kind of indigo in the original prints that it's said to look like prussian blue and be impossible to recognise by the naked eyes. But the use was very exceptionally. This indigo was first used on the Sharaku's print published in 1794 . I haven't got how to make this pigment yet. The use of these 3 indigo pigments has a lot of mystery .I seek to solve it. ･"Aobanagami "（青花紙) This is made from dye liquor of one improved variety of communis. Fortunately ,this has been still kept to produce at present but the amount of production is little since the need and producers are few. The man who uses this in ukiyoe reproduction is only me at present. This pigment is very weak to light and tends to turn grey, yellow-brown or clear by time passing. We can hardly look the blue itself on the original prints nowadays. The period of the use is about 1764～1817.but this is the occasion when we focus on the single use as blue. This had been used for purple until the end of Edo or not frequently used for green in that period. Although I describe in detail later, purple and green are mixed colors. Why was indigo frequently used for green instead of aobanagami on that period when aobanagami was used mainly as single blue？ This is the one of mystery.

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Paint of Ukiyoe,"Bero-ai"（prussian blue）.

The following is the translation of the video.

"There has been change in the manufacturing method of prussian blue, but according to a literature in the Meiji era ,it seems to have been done at least in the first half of the Meiji era by the following that after mixing dry blood and potassium carbonate and heating in an iron pan, dissolving it in water and then

adding alum and iron sulfate solution to the solution.

Prussian blue was first invented in Berlin in the early 18th century.

The Japanese name "Bero" comes from the name "Berlin".

It was first imported into Japan in the middle of the 18th century, and came to be used in ukiyo-e prints in Edo from 1829.

By the literature research and observation of the works, I consider that several types of prussian blue had been used for ukiyo-e in the Edo period.Elucidating of the types of prussian blue is one of the themes I hope to do in the future.

I have confirmed only one document about the prussian blue manufacturing method in the Edo period literature.

That method is to add iron sulfate solution to potassium cyanide solution, but the details are not described clearly.

I hope to clarify the manufacturing method of prussian blue in the Edo period in the future.

The transition of the main blue paint used for nishiki-e is,

the first is aobanagami,

next is indigo from the latter half of the 1810s to around 1829, and then it shifted to prussian blue after that period.

However, this is matter in ukiyo-e prints published in Edo.

Prussian blue had been used much earlier than 1829 for Kamigata-ukiyoe.( Kamigata-ukiyoe is ukiyoe published in mainly Osaka.)

Ukiyo-e may have a strong impression of blue, but it seems to be an image of the works from the period after prussian blue became popular.

It seems that the works before that tend to be warmer color than cool one."

Special Thanks:Kouji Sugahara and Yousuke Suemitsu

Note: Prussian blue was discovered by Diesbach in Germany in the early 18th century, then improved by Miroli et al.in France, and industrialized in 1774 by Wilkinson company in the United Kingdom.

The first import to Japan was confirmed by a Dutch ship in 1747 at Nagasaki Trade.but its nominal was for personal use such as "allowance for Japanese ", not as a sale transaction product for the market.

The first document in Japan that introduced prussian blue is said to be 平賀源内「物類品隲」 (1763)

In the book, the paint is described in the notation of "Bereinburau" derived from Dutch"berlijns blaauw".Since then, in the historical materials of the Edo period, the abbreviations of that such as "herulen", "berensu", "beru", "bero", and "berorin" (and"to-ai", "konjo") can be seen."Bero-ai" is used here because it is a familiar name, but it is said that the name "bero-ai" originated in the Meiji era（1868-1912).

By the way, it is at present confirmed that 1782 is an earliest record for sale transaction of prussian blue in Nagasaki Trading.This transaction was conducted with China, and since then it had been sporadic. And since 1798, a sale transaction with the Netherlands is also confirmed.

Looking at the changes in transactions with China and the Netherlands, the quantity of transactions with China has increased sharply since 1826, and the transaction price of prussian blue accordingly drops much.

It can be seen that the supply system of prussian blue to the domestic market was completed based on the imported products from China after that by the quantity and price.

According to 青葱堂冬圃「真佐喜のかつら」which is stimated to have been compiled around 1855,it was in 1829 that prussian blue was used for surimono(private version print).And it is mentioned it was not used in Nishiki-e yet in 1829, but the following year, it was used in the work of Keisai Eisen and became very popular.

The work of Eisen mentioned in the literature is said to be as the following.

（Resource: https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/53586）

Although it is mentioned in the literature that it had been published in 1830, but it was found out by the seal of the work that it had been published actually in 1829, and in modern times it was pointed out that the description was incorrect.

In a book 「浮世絵の名品に見る「青」の変遷」,there were no cases of prussian blue detected in works before 1828 in scientific analysis, and it is stated that it is certain that prussian blue was used from 1829, but cases (including objects such as surimono and printed books) of its use are exceptional.

Since 1829, the usage rate of prussian blue has increased in a short period of time, and the blue paint that is mainly used was completed the conversion from indigo to prussian blue in 1831 .However, this does not mean that the use of indigo is completely obsolete, and for several years since 1829 , it can be seen that indigo is used at the same time with prussian blue as "a different paint of blue color " from prussian blue.

（Note:These things are based on the Ukiyo-e published in Edo. In Kamigata Ukiyo-e, prussian blue is detected at least as far back as the latter half of the bunka era (1804-17). )

In 葛飾北斎「絵本彩色通」（1848, it is mentioned there are three kinds of prussian blue.In addition, there are three types of prussian blue confirmed from the historical materials of the Takeo City History Museum.

Also, when observing the works, it can be seen that there were several types of prussian blue in the Edo period.I hope to clarify the types of prussian blue used in the original and the identification of the corresponding each color.

Although there are prussian blue of various names sold in the market,but the "color" has been changed and improved as a matter of course with the progress of industrial technology, and it seems that it is different from the one in the Edo period.I hope to clarify the manufacturing method in the Edo period and restore the paints someday in the future.

Reference:

葛飾北斎「絵本彩色通」（1848/republication in 1964）

Henry Smith ,"Rethinking the"Blue Revolution"in Ukiyo-e.（1998）

鶴田榮一「顔料の歴史」（2002）

石田千尋「江戸時代の紺青輸入についてーオランダ船の舶載品を中心としてー」（2008）

武雄市歴史資料館企画展「青へのあこがれ」（2012）http://www.city.takeo.lg.jp/rekisi/kikaku/2012/ao/ao.html

松井英男・南由紀子編「浮世絵の名品に見る「青」の変遷」（2012）

目黒区美術館「色の博物誌」（2016）

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

Introduction of a paint of ukiyoe, "Hon-ai 本藍（indigo）".

https://youtu.be/KOj207YHjWw

Translation of the video,

"This paint is done by boiling indigo-dyed cloth with starch syrup and lime to extract the color , and drying it. Indigo dyed cloth had been familiar used for clothes in the Edo period, and the worn-out cloth had been used as a raw material for paints.But,nowadays, those natural indigo dyed cloths are hard to get due to its rarity and high price , so I use natural indigo dyed yarn.

There is another method of making the pigment to collect the scum on the surface of indigo dye.

When focusing on the sole blue part in the original prints, the frequency of use of indigo paint is not so high at first in the history of ukiyo-e.But It has been used more frequently since the late 1810s.

Around that time, it is thought that the method for making indigo from used indigo cloth mentioned above became widespreaded.

At the shaved part of the forehead of Sharaku's work published in 1794 , one indigo is used, that it's said to not be able to be distinguished from Prussian blue by the naked eye .Indigo color is usually astringent blue, and how to make that indigo paint like Prussian blue is not yet cleared up."

Special Thanks:Kouji Sugahara and Yousuke Suemitsu

Note:

It is said that the technique of dyeing with leaves of polygonum tinctorium called "tade-ai蓼藍", containing indigo color  was introduced to Japan in the 5th century.The technology of dyeing with natural indigo has changed over time in Japan, but at least in the Heian period（794~ca1185）, the method of dyeing by fermentation vatting process with precipitation indigo was generally used to some extent.It is said that collecting the scum generated on the upper surface of the dye liquid and drying to make indigo paint had also been carried  out at this period.There are various names for the word "indigo paint " in literatures, but at least after 1800, in Edo , the name "ai-ro藍蝋（indigo paste)" was commonly used. And at least at the end of the Edo period, it is confirmed that there was a stick-shaped indigo paint called "bo-to-ro棒唐蝋" in the market, which was presumably imported from China.

In Ukiyoe, the introduction of the indigo paint came to be commonly used from"Benizuri-e".But, its use as a green color mixed with yellow paint  is more common than as a blue color alone.

（Benizuri-e is one of the styles of ukiyoe.It was invented in the Kanpo era (1741-44), and multi-colored ukiyoe prints with about three colors, such as black, red and green.）

( Example of benizuri-e. Original resource:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/60028204 )

In "Nishiki-e", which was created after "Benizuri-e", aobanagami is mainly used as a sole blue color , while indigo is mainly used as a paint to bring out the green color.

Aobanagami tends to fade easily and becomes gray, yellowish brown or colorless with age, while the indigo is a color that is resistant to change over time.

（Example of fading aobanagami and indigo of green. It can be looked that aobanagami is used for the water and sky gradation (and purple for kimonos, etc.), and indigo is used for the green parts.Resource:　 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/60028163 ）

Later, in 1794, the bright indigo paint that had never been seen before was introduced in ukiyoe.According to a book,「浮世絵に名品に見る「青」の変遷」（2012）,it is impossible to distinguish this indigo from prussian blue  by the naked eye without scientific analysis, and it was identified from the shaved part of the forehead in 4 of 28 works of actor's upper body print of Sharaku , published in May, 1794.

（Example of usage of "bright indigo".It can be looked at the shaved part of the forehead.Resource:

https://www.artic.edu/artworks/86915/the-actor-otani-tokuji-i-as-manservant-sodesuke）

Since the other works excepting the 4 works use the fast-fading blue paint of aobanagami for the shaved part of the forehead , the part at present has changed to pale yellowish brown, etc. , as the following picture. Generally, in the reprinted Ukiyoe, the part is printed in various colors (probably for the color after or during the fading of aobanagami) with completely different paints , however the original color of the part can be  considered to be "clear blue" by the aobanagami or the bright indigo (prussian blue  after Tenpo era).

（Example of fading of aobanagami at the shaved part of the forehead.Resource:

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/60001435）

This kind of use of indigo is exceptional, and the all use of indigo as an sole  blue color continues to be less common also after that.

Eventually, around 1813(the 10th year of Bunka era), its use gradually began to be seen.From the end of the Bunka era (1804-17) to the next Bunsei era (1818-29), the use of indigo became to be seen more frequently.By the middle of the Bunsei era, the use of indigo became commonplace, and the transition from aobanagami to indigo was completed .

Behind this, it's highly probable there was the development and spread of the new method of making indigo paint ( the method of extracting the color from indigo-dyed cloth).

Eventually, the "mainstay of blue paint" shifted from Indigo to prussian blue , but I'll explain that next time.

Through surveying of literatures, I now have come to the conclusion that whether the aforementioned indigo which is indistinguishable from prussian blue  by the naked eye can be made depends on the number of times of removing the acridness in the manufacturing process or in the use of the product. I will be probably able to demonstrate this in the future.

(Example of usage of indigo from my reproducing.The mountain in the middle of this picture is used my hand made indigo paint made by extracting the color with lime and syrup, from indigo dyeing yarn dyed in Tokushima prefectur by fermentation vatting process with dye made of fermented indigo leaves. )

You can see the outline of making method of indigo paint in the following link. https://ukiyoereproduction.com/post/189714302442/%E3%83%BCthe-making-method-of-indigo-pigment

Reference:

青木良吉「浸染法」（1924）

後藤捷一・山川隆平編「染料植物譜」（1937）

川人美洋子「阿波藍」（2010）

武雄市歴史資料館「」（2012）http://www.city.takeo.lg.jp/rekisi/kikaku/2012/ao/ao.html

吉岡幸雄「日本の色を染める」（2012）

松井英男・南由紀子編「浮世絵の名品に見る「青」の変遷」（2012）

目黒区美術館「色の博物誌」（2016）

[ukiyoe-reproduction]

-The Shunga Project with Shunga Gallery in the Netherlands-

(Note these are re-posts from my facebook page from the March 9th~June 19th in 2019.)

Ep1

The ripple effect of my remake of "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife " was larger than I thought. And the project of shunga reproduction with "Shunga gallery" in the Netherlands is beginning. Check more info    https://shungagallery.com/hokusai-for-sale/ I will make this work with the top priority.

Note that  I will show the all making process as always but the item will be sold only through the gallery in limited edition.

I’m very glad and excited.

(The date of the original post is  the March 9th.)

Ep2

I have finished the keyblock now I am adding a little bit revision of lines.

Not like shunga reproductions that others recently do, this my work is done with restoring materials as paper or pigments(as always ). Since the Meiji period, the materials of ukiyoe had changed much. And those of the Edo ukiyoe have not been inherited in craftmen nowadays.When I see the situation that publishers, traditional organizations or   craftmen nowadays who don't have knowledge  of the original pigments and their colors ( also paper )but use difference pigments  state we are restoring the first state of ukiyoe print from the Edo ,I always wonder what its basis is？ (Also there are not a few reproduction that is remade with discoloring ,same as the current condition of the original .However, to do that without distressed effects of paper and carving line gives me just unnatural impression. In passing, Mr.Enji Takamizawa did masterful work in this field .  See the following photo.)  

Though it perhaps needs for the rest of my life to search, find out and develope  for the truth of color but thesedays I feel that remaking ukiyoe nowadays became meaningless without presenting the truth of color. I also think I have to see people who know how  the true color of ukiyoe was and wish  that such reproduction is done . Witout such people , I perhaps can't make a life by this work . (There is no such type of people in publishers and craftmen , and seems to be few in public. It looks  the number of ordinary people who misunderstand that such reproduction restored  the first state of the original ukiyoe with the original materials has been done by traditional organizations, publishers or craft men is not a few.  This can't be helped , because there has been lack of explanation by  them  or some of them tell a lie "we are restoring  the first true state of ukiyoe from the Edo with same materials and techniques. " (also there is just little interested in such matter  in  ordinary people  )

(The original post date is  the March 28th)

Ep3

I've finished the all blocks, then I'm making the trial prints.  It will take some time a little  to complete   since I have to do carving  for subtle revision or making pigments for the real printing now.

(The original post is  the May 8th)

Ep4

I've finally done the work.I had prepared the original pictures of 3 types this time and  I chose  the picture"c" as the original since it was easier for me to recognise the line and color than "a" and "b".

(↑The copy “a”. Separated into 4 pages, I name each as a-1, a-2,a-3 a-4 from left to right.)

（↑The "b”.From left to right b-1,b-2,b-3,b-4.）

（↑The leftside of ”ｃ” From left to right,c-1,c-2.）

(↑The rightside of “c”.From left to right,c-3,c-4.)

Though the color of "b" looks diffrence from "c", but I can declare the original pictures themselfs are same since  their tiny parts accord each other like dust of paper or blurred of colors that are normally never coincidence.  Their diffrence of colors seems to be problem caused by scanners.Since the lines of center of the c-3 and c-4 were  not recognised well and  the existence of a, I removed the center lines when I made the block copy.Due to this, I changed at some parts below to avoid unnatural matters on appreciating . 

1) I added deep black to the bottom left corner as a-4.

2) Made the yellow of fusuma widen to reach the man's shoulder as a-1 and a-2.

3)  Arranged the fusuma and wall in color. The wall part of c-1 is deeper than the fusuma part of c-2. Since I removed the center line, borderline of the color would appear if I printed with color separating like the original. It could have interfere to appreciate.

I decided that  aobanagami must have been used for these parts ,due to the discoloring of a, c-1and c-2 ,and a fact that a shaved part of the forehead was normally printed in blue in the edo.(*aobanagami turns to grey yellow brown or clear by aging )However, c-1looks too black.There were  possibility that it was printed with sumi a little or caused by a scanner problem, I don't know. It is needed scientific analysis with the real picture to clear.

4) Due to remove the center line and above(3)) ,a sense of unity.was given.So I remove the color component of yellow of c-1and c-2.I printed the middle depth of the both yellow. I also printed c-3 and c-4 part with that yellow  to give a sense of unity but made a little bit deeper to give the nuance of the original "c". In the result of this, the yellow part of the right side of my reproduction got deeper  yellow impression than c-3 and c-4 of the original.( Perhaps it could have been better to use  paler yellow when I printed c-1and c-2 parts.)

5) I unified the green of tatami in each sides but made side of c-3 and c-4 parts more yellow a little to give the nuance of the original.

The following photos are the finished states of my reproduction.

The printing process of leftside part.

1sumi 

2very pale red oxide on the figure

3turmeric 

4aobanagami 

5aobanagami (shaved part of the forehead)   little paler than the back.

6green (turmeric ＋indigo )

7purple(safflower red ＋aobanagami ) Since the middle of Bunsei (文政)period (1818～29) , aobanagami had not came to be commonly used as blue pigment of singleton.But it had been kept to use to make purple till the meiji period. It is said that there was probably the  thought of people in the edo that the purple of ukiyoe had to  be  made by blue of aobanagami, not indigo or prussian blue. It gets red little by little and turns to orange brown by aging.   

8safflower red 

9deep black (complete)

(By the way,aobanagami had been the main blue pigment since 1765(the age of beginning of multicolor printing ) . But from the end of bunka (文化)period ( 1804～17) , indigo had came to be used more frequently .(It had been used before that time but it was a rare case .) And it is said that blue pigment used had changed over aobanagami to indigo in the middle of bunsei (文政)period (1818～29 ) .(Introducing of prussian blue was after 1829.) However, this is the case when we focus on the blue part of ukiyoe print. Focusing on the green, it seems indigo had been mixed and used much well before the time of shifting between the end of bunka and the middle of bunsei.Even though aobanagami had been chosen as blue of standalone than indigo, why had been chosen indigo when making green ？It is said the reason why aobanagami had been chosen in that age is the beauty itself or awkward and expensively of indigo that was the other blue.But focusing on indigo used for green, these reasons seems to be  inconsistency. (In this connection, the introduction of prussian blue to ukiyoe prints was after 1829.) This is my recent question. )

The printing process of rightside part.

1sumi 

2 very pale red oxide 

3turmeric 

4aobanagami 

5green (turmeric ＋ indigo  )

6purple (safflower red ＋ aobanagami  )

7safflower red 

8deep black 

9safflower red gradation (Forgetting, I printed the last. )

(I couldn't recognise the colors and pigments of the wood wall or painting of dragon around the upper right side area. I used red oxide and aobanagami to fit to the whole.But actually these parts are needed the scientific analysis on the real original picture.)

In the following photos, each above is the copy of original and below is my reproduction.

I used restoreing paper of all mulberry fiber , added rice powders and without chemicals. (But mine is probably thicker a little than the original since the original was a book and thinner paper was used  in common.)The pigments I used were sumi,turmeric,indigo, red oxide, safflower red and aobanagami. Woodblocks were yamazakura (one kind of cherry ) , but not as always , I used solid board of it this time , not plywood  since  I had to give  the all blocks to the gallery and I thought it was better if the blocks would be kept as resource or appreciated themselfs. I consider damage or distortion of lines, misregistration, smear, or unevenness of color  are "taste" of the original.Though I couldn't do the all enough, but I had put effort  to give the nuance also in terms of those.(Actually I'm still more groping how to make color smear or unevenness on purpose.)Don't forget my aim is to restore the lost true state of ukiyoe prints in the edo and not to make a just "clean and smooth" print.  And don't confuse my work with others that have been traditionally done  by craftmen like carvers or printers. Check this site to order→ https://shungagallery.com/hokusai-for-sale/

 If you like this picture or not, this reproduction has worth looking.

Thank you in advance.

(The date of original post is  the June 19th.)