Difference between revisions of "Category:Prussian Blue: Ukiyo-e colorant"

Revision as of 16:46, 15 May 2020

Prussian blue ベロ藍(bero-ai): The first modern synthetic pigment, Prussian blue was an accidental discovery made around 1704-6 by chemist Johann Jacob Diesbach and alchemist Johann Conrad Dippel. Composed of ferric ferrocyanide, this synthetically produced pigment yields a vivid blue. Due to its high cost as an import from the West during the 1800’s, it was used initially for paintings. By the end of the 1820’s, this pigment was produced in China, thus making it affordable for use as a color for woodblock printing.

Prussian blue's bright, intense “true blue” color, fine particle size, and high tinting strength soon made it an indispensable addition to the printmaker’s palette, largely supplanting dayflower and indigo blues. This pigment enabled even, sharp printing as well as a greater range of tones especially when printing graduated color. It is thought that the introduction of this color into the printmaker’s palette stimulated Hokusai and Hiroshige to design the iconic landscape prints that they are celebrated for. Prussian blue is both lightfast and stable to moisture.

For more information see: Prussian blue

Examples of Prussian blue in Ukiyo-e Prints


Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu


Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu


Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu


Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu


Beauties of the Yoshiwara by Suzuki Harunobu

Analysis

Fiber optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS) can easily identify the three blues: indigo, dayflower, and Prussian blue.

FORS spectrum of Prussian blue reference
FORS spectrum of Indigo reference
FORS spectrum of Dayflower reference

Other Images of Prussian blue

Prussian blue
Prussian blue

List of Prints

List of prints where indigo was detected

Pages in category "Prussian Blue: Ukiyo-e colorant"

The following 12 pages are in this category, out of 12 total.

E

H

K

S

Shigenobu I, Urashima Tarô, from the series A Set of Five Examples of Longevity, 21.9254

T

Taito II, Court Lady and Pine Shoots, 21.9244

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 [[File:SC130566.jpg|right|250px|link=https://collections.mfa.org/objects/234428/under-the-wave-off-kanagawa-kanagawaoki-namiura-also-kn?ctx=ed6b9b8b-e830-4c25-9793-ba7646059146&idx=3|Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai]]
-<font size="3">'''[[Prussian blue]]'''</font> ベロ藍(''bero-ai''): A natural dark blue dye obtained from ''Indigofera tinctoria'' plants native to India, Java, Peru, and other tropical areas. The use of indigo was first mentioned in Indian manuscripts in the 4th century BCE. In Japan, indigo was introduced from China in the 6th century. The dye is obtained from an indigo plant native to Asia, ''Persicaria tinctoria''. Indian indigo was imported at the beginning of the Meiji period (1868).
+<font size="3">'''[[Prussian blue]]'''</font> ベロ藍(''bero-ai''): The first modern synthetic pigment, Prussian blue was an accidental discovery made around 1704-6 by chemist Johann Jacob Diesbach and alchemist Johann Conrad Dippel. Composed of ferric ferrocyanide, this synthetically produced pigment yields a vivid blue. Due to its high cost as an import from the West during the 1800’s, it was used initially for paintings. By the end of the 1820’s, this pigment was produced in China, thus making it affordable for use as a color for woodblock printing.
-Indigo and dayflower are the two blues used in Japanese woodblock prints until Prussian blue enters the palette in the 1830's. Indigo appears most frequently from the 1740’s onwards as a color mixed with orpiment to produce a variety of greens. As a single colorant, it appears as a comparatively dull blue color. Due to its poor tinting strength, a relatively large amount needs to be used during printing in order to obtain a good saturation of this color. Its texture is somewhat coarse which makes it difficult to execute graduated hues from dark to light. Unlike dayflower, it is stable to moisture but is prone to fading.
+Prussian blue's bright, intense “true blue” color, fine particle size, and high tinting strength soon made it an indispensable addition to the printmaker’s palette, largely supplanting dayflower and indigo blues. This pigment enabled even, sharp printing as well as a greater range of tones especially when printing graduated color. It is thought that the introduction of this color into the printmaker’s palette stimulated Hokusai and Hiroshige to design the iconic landscape prints that they are celebrated for. Prussian blue is both lightfast and stable to moisture.
 '''For more information see:''' [[Prussian blue]]