Madder: Ukiyo-e colorant

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Kamakura Village by Katsushika Hokusai

Madder 茜(akane): A red dye extracted from the roots of any of several species of the genus Rubia. The most commonly used plants include: Rubia tinctorum L., native to the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean; Rubia cordifolia L., native to India and Southeast Asia; and Rubia akane Nagai, found in East Asia. The latter two appear to be the madder used in ukiyo-e prints.(true?)

Similar to safflower, madder can be a pink to a deep red. Madder and safflower are the most commonly found red before the introduction of aniline dyes. Red safflower and madder are found as a single colorant or as a mixture of the two. Although a visual difference between a single colorant red madder and red safflower/madder mixture is hard to discern currently, madder may have been mixed to extend the safflower, which was known to be expensive. In later prints, hematite (what was it?) is also found with madder. Pink madder also appears to more opaque than the ethereal pink safflower. (Too much of a copy of safflower entry? Do we want to discuss the possiblity of madder being laked?)

Although not listed in colorants thought to have been used in Japanese woodblock printing (reference that book), madder has been detected extensively in our anlysis. Research of the red colorants is ongoing.

For more information see: Madder, Madder (Rubia tinctorum) LC, Madder (Indian madder, Rubia cordifolia) LC, Madder (Rubia akane) LC

Examples of Madder in Ukiyo-e Prints

Dyed indigo.jpg

Indigo FORS.JPG
Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Dyed indigo.jpg

Indigo FORS.JPG
Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Dyed indigo.jpg

Indigo FORS.JPG
Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Dyed indigo.jpg

Indigo FORS.JPG
Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Dyed indigo.jpg

Indigo FORS.JPG
Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu


Analysis

Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) spectroscopy can easily identify the organic reds: safflower, madder, and sappanwood. Madder fluoresces brightly under UVA radiation and produces a unique EEM pattern that helps differentiate it from safflower, which also fluoresces.



Other Images of Madder


List of Prints

List of prints where indigo was detected

Pages in category "Madder: Ukiyo-e colorant"

The following 80 pages are in this category, out of 80 total.

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