Difference between revisions of "Ukiyo-e Print Colorant Database"
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| + | Since 2002, the MFA’s Asian Conservation Studio and Scientific Research department has been conducting research into the colorants used in Japanese woodblock prints, or ''ukiyo-e'' prints from the Edo period (1603-1868). Non-invasive techniques that do not require sampling from the prints have been used: X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) and Fiber Optic Reflectance (FORS) spectroscopies. These results are cross referenced with samples that were formulated and printed using organic and inorganic materials traditionally believe to have been used during the Edo period. Thus far, over 800 prints have been analyzed. | ||
| + | <br> | ||
| + | <br> | ||
| + | This Ukiyo-e Print Colorant Database is an effort to begin collating the analytical results of colorants used in Japanese woodblock prints into one location that is accessible to all researchers. It currently focuses on prints from the MFA’s collection from 17XX-18XX and does not yet cover the whole breadth of colorants used, such as the aniline based colorants, but we hope to continue to expand the database. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Colorants=== | ||
| + | A list of colorants detected so far in this research. Click to see examples of the printed colors, spectra, and a list of analyzed prints. | ||
| + | ------------------ | ||
| + | |||
| + | {| | ||
| + | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| + | | style="width:300px; text-align:left;" | | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Blue</b></span> | ||
| + | * [[Indigo: Ukiyo-e colorant|Indigo]] | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Dayflower: Ukiyo-e colorant| Dayflower]] | ||
| + | * [[Prussian Blue: Ukiyo-e colorant|Prussian blue]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Yellow</b></span> | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Turmeric: Ukiyo-e colorant|Turmeric]] | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Orpiment: Ukiyo-e colorant|Orpiment]] | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Gamboge: Ukiyo-e colorant|Gamboge]] | ||
| + | * [[Goethite|Yellow Ochre]] | ||
| + | * [[Flavonoid|Flavonoids]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Red</b></span> | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Safflower: Ukiyo-e colorant|Safflower]] | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Madder: Ukiyo-e colorant|Madder]] | ||
| + | * [[:Category:Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Sappanwood]] | ||
| + | * [[Red lead]] | ||
| + | * [[Vermilion]] | ||
| + | | style="width:300px; text-align:left;" | | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Brown</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Hematite]] | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Others]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Green</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Indigo + Orpiment]] | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Indigo + Turmeric]] | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Others]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Purple</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Dayflower + Safflower]] | ||
| + | *[[Sappanwood: Ukiyo-e colorant|Others]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Black</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Carbon black|Sumi (carbon black)]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>White</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Calcium carbonate|Gofun (calcium carbonate)]] | ||
| + | *[[Lead white]] | ||
| + | | style="width:300px; text-align:left;" | | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Mica</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Mica]] | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>Metallic</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[Brass]] | ||
| + | *[[Copper]] | ||
| + | *[[Tin]] | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | <!-- | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Yellow</b></font>: Turmeric and orpiment have been the most commonly detected yellows. The organic yellows are also easily detected but it is difficult to differentiate between the different organic yellows, thus has been categorized as flavonoid yellows due to their common chemical composition. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Red</b></font>: The organic reds can create a light pink to a dark red. Safflower and madder are the most commonly found reds until the introduction of aniline dyes. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Brown</b></font>: The only brown found so far is hematite. Purposefully darkened red lead was also used to represent wood. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Green</b></font>: Green is achieved by mixing or overprinting blue and yellow. The most common combination found is indigo and orpiment. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Purple</b></font>: Purple is achieved by mixing or overprinting blue and red. Dayflower and safflower appear to be the preferred mixture even after the introduction of Prussian blue. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Black</b></font>: Sumi (carbon black) can be printed to produce black to gray and also be mixed with other colorants to darken a color. Different kinds of sumi, for example pine soot sumi can produce a bluish color. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>White</b></font>: Printed white can be either gofun (calcium carbonate) or white lead but most times it is just the unprinted paper. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Mica</b></font>: Powdered mica can be printed or sprinkled to create a shimmering effect. It can also be mixed with a colorant to make colored mica. | ||
| + | <font size="3" color="#4682B4"><b>Metallics</b></font>: Flakes or powdered metallics are often found in surimono prints. | ||
| + | --> | ||
| + | |||
| + | === By Artist === | ||
| + | ------------------ | ||
| + | {| | ||
| + | |- style="vertical-align:top;" | ||
| + | | style="width:300px; text-align:left;" | | ||
| + | <span style="font-size:120%; color:#4682B4"><b>H</b></span> | ||
| + | *[[:Category:Suzuki Harunobu (鈴木春信) 1725–1770|Harunobu, Suzuki]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | <!--*[[Suzuki Harunobu (鈴木春信) 1725–1770|Harunobu, Suzuki]]--> | ||
| + | |} | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | === Bibliography=== | ||
| + | [[Bibliography|'''A list of publications''']] on the identification of colorants in Japanese woodblock prints (currently only MFA publications). | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | === About the Collection === | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:SC206467.jpg|500px|right|link=https://collections.mfa.org/objects/497727/woodblock-printer-print-shop-distributing-new-prints-su?ctx=216ac42f-4cb7-4d1b-aa86-5ae9d40239d7&idx=99|Woodblock Printer, Print Shop, Distributing New Prints by Kitagawa Utamaro]] | ||
| + | |||
| + | The MFA has over 50,000 Japanese prints and XXX printed books covering the Edo period (1603-1868) to the present. The Japanese woodblock print collection spans the Edo period from its birth to color printing to its height as a commercial product and to its end in the Meiji period (1868-1912). It also covers a wide breadth of artists working at the time as well as multiple impressions and editions making it also a strong study collection. Collections from prominent Bostonians such as William Sturgis Bigelow, Denman Ross, and the Spaulding brothers form the basis of the collection. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==== Acknowledgement ==== | ||
| + | The colorant research comes out of a long collaboration between the Asian Conservation Studio and Scientific Research department. We would like to thank the many volunteers who contributed to this research. We are also grateful to Richard and JoAnn Pinkowitz for donating to this database project which allowed us to bring the ukiyo-e colorant database online. | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | <!-- | ||
| + | At this point the database contains three sections: | ||
| + | * [[Glossary of Ukiyo-e Colorants|Glossary of Colorants]] illustrating the illustrating the colorants and their resulting analytical spectra. | ||
| + | * [[Bibliography of Ukiyo-e Publications|Bibliography of Publications]] on the identification of colorants in Japanese prints | ||
| + | * Print records with their description and the analytical results. The initial set of prints with results correspond to the publications listed in the Bibliography. | ||
Revision as of 06:50, 15 May 2020
Since 2002, the MFA’s Asian Conservation Studio and Scientific Research department has been conducting research into the colorants used in Japanese woodblock prints, or ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period (1603-1868). Non-invasive techniques that do not require sampling from the prints have been used: X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) and Fiber Optic Reflectance (FORS) spectroscopies. These results are cross referenced with samples that were formulated and printed using organic and inorganic materials traditionally believe to have been used during the Edo period. Thus far, over 800 prints have been analyzed.
This Ukiyo-e Print Colorant Database is an effort to begin collating the analytical results of colorants used in Japanese woodblock prints into one location that is accessible to all researchers. It currently focuses on prints from the MFA’s collection from 17XX-18XX and does not yet cover the whole breadth of colorants used, such as the aniline based colorants, but we hope to continue to expand the database.
Colorants
A list of colorants detected so far in this research. Click to see examples of the printed colors, spectra, and a list of analyzed prints.
|
Blue Yellow Red |
Brown Green Purple Black White |
Mica Metallic |
By Artist
|
H |
Bibliography
A list of publications on the identification of colorants in Japanese woodblock prints (currently only MFA publications).
About the Collection
The MFA has over 50,000 Japanese prints and XXX printed books covering the Edo period (1603-1868) to the present. The Japanese woodblock print collection spans the Edo period from its birth to color printing to its height as a commercial product and to its end in the Meiji period (1868-1912). It also covers a wide breadth of artists working at the time as well as multiple impressions and editions making it also a strong study collection. Collections from prominent Bostonians such as William Sturgis Bigelow, Denman Ross, and the Spaulding brothers form the basis of the collection.
Acknowledgement
The colorant research comes out of a long collaboration between the Asian Conservation Studio and Scientific Research department. We would like to thank the many volunteers who contributed to this research. We are also grateful to Richard and JoAnn Pinkowitz for donating to this database project which allowed us to bring the ukiyo-e colorant database online.