Brass: Ukiyo-e colorant
Brass 真鍮 (shinchū): Brass is an alloy of Copper and Zinc. During the Edo period, brass was made with domestic copper and imported zinc from China.
Flakes or powdered metallics are often found in deluxe editions and surimono prints (摺物). Animal glue (膠 nikawa) was commonly used to adhere the powder to the paper's surface or as a binder when printed. The use of affordable metals such as brass and tin were likely meant to imitate the glittering effects created by the use of expensive metal leaf or flakes such as gold and silver on screen and scroll paintings.
Brass flakes are found in early prints as well as in deluxe editions. Printed brass is often seen in surimono prints. Different tones of brass could be created by manipulating the proportion of copper and zinc.
For additional information see: Brass
Examples of Brass in Ukiyo-e Prints
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Analysis
X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) is used to detect copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), which is an indication for the presence of brass.
XRF spectrum for Brass
Images of Brass
Brass powder
Printed brass
List of Prints
Below is a list of prints where brass was detected.
Pages in category "Brass: Ukiyo-e colorant"
The following 25 pages are in this category, out of 25 total.
B
E
H
- Hokusai, Express Delivery Boats Rowing through Waves, from an untitled series of landscapes in Western style, 21.6678
- Hokusai, Female Poet, from the series Five Poetic Immortals, 11.20419
- Hokusai, Ki no Natora and Ôtomo no Yoshio Wrestling, 00.1949
- Hokusai, Mount Fuji under High Bridge, from an untitled series of landscapes in Western style, 21.6675
- Hokusai, The Plum-blossom Shell, from the series The Poetry-Shell Matching Game of the Genroku Era, 21.9225
- Hokusai, View of Noboto Beach at Low Tide from the Salt Beds at Gyôtoku, from an untitled series of landscapes in Western style, 21.6676
- Hokusai, Woman Buying Songbirds, from the series A Collection of Dances, 11.16773
- Hokusai, Ôkuninushi no Mikoto, the White Hare of Inaba, and the Crocodiles, 21.9245
K
- Kiyomasu II, Actor Ogino Izaburô I as Yamagami Gennai, Acting in the Aragoto Style with the Sumikazura Wig, 11.13297
- Kiyomasu II, The Arrival of the Elephant, 58.343
- Kiyonaga, Women Visiting Enoshima, 11.21277
- Kunisada, Actors Iwai Kumesaburô II as Agemaki (R), Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Sukeroku (C), and Onoe Kikugorô III as Shinbei (L), 21.7532-4
S
- Shigenobu I, Urashima Tarô, from the series A Set of Five Examples of Longevity, 21.9254
- Shinsai, Chapters 16–18, from the series The Tale of Genji, 11.21066
- Shinsai, Chapters 22–24, from the series The Tale of Genji, 11.20034
- Shinsai, Chapters 25–27, from the series The Tale of Genji, 21.9264
- Shunman, Mandarin Ducks and Iris, from the series Series of Seven Bird-and-Flower Prints for the Fuyô Circle of Kanuma in Shimotsuke Province, 21.9226