Dayflower/Safflower: Ukiyo-e colorant

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Courtesan Asajiu of the Daimonjiya and Nanatsu-ume Sake by Momenya by Kitagawa Utamaro I

Dayflower + Safflower: Purple is achieved by overprinting or mixing a blue and a red colorant. The dominant purple used throughout the Edo period (1603–1868) is composed of dayflower and safflower. Initially, dayflower was printed over safflower as seen on early two to three color prints; by the 1770s onward, these colors were generally found mixed. By varying the proportions of dayflower to safflower, an array of cool to warm purples were achieved. Even after the introduction of Prussian blue in the 1820s, dayflower and safflower continued to be the preferred mixture.

On prints, this purple can appear brown to tan due to fading and/or shifting of dayflower and safflower. Damage from contact with moisture is frequently encountered because of the highly soluble nature of dayflower. When the print is exposed to water, the dayflower can disperse to reveal the safflower whether or not the purple was produced by overprinting or mixing. Also, the appearance of purple can be found altered from contact with moisture introduced during lining. The water content of the adhesive used to line a print can draw the dayflower into the lining paper, which effectively causes it to move from the print's surface towards the back and into the lining paper.

For more information see: Dayflower, Safflower

Examples of Dayflower + Safflower in Ukiyo-e Prints

11.18479-pt4-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 4: Printed
Ippitsusai Bunchō, 11.18479

11.14627-pt2-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 2: Printed
Isoda Koryusai, 11.14627

11.13880-pt3-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 3: Printed
Torii Kiyonaga, 11.13880

11.14674-pt2-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 2: Printed
Tōshūsai Sharaku, 11.14674

11.13642-pt1-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 1: Printed
Utagawa Toyokuni, 11.13642

11.35842-pt1-detail.png

Indigo FORS.JPG
Indigo FORS.JPG
Pt 1: Printed
Utagawa Hiroshige I/II, 11.35842

Analysis

Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) and Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) spectroscopy is used to identify dayflower + safflower. For more information, please see the individual colorant pages, dayflower and safflower.

Images of Dayflower + Safflower

List of Prints

Below is a list of prints where dayflower + safflower was detected.

Pages in category "Dayflower/Safflower: Ukiyo-e colorant"

The following 54 pages are in this category, out of 54 total.

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