Madder: Ukiyo-e colorant
Madder 茜 (akane): A water-soluble red dye extracted from the roots of any of several species of the genus Rubia. Among the frequently used plants are Rubia tinctorum L. (native to the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean and known as European madder), Rubia cordifolia L. (native to large areas of Africa and Asia and known as Indian madder) and Rubia akane, also known as R. argyi (native to East Asia). It is currently unknown which species was used for ukiyo-e prints.
Similar to safflower, madder can range from pink to a deep red. Madder and safflower are the most commonly found reds before the introduction of aniline dyes in the 1860s. Safflower and madder are found as a single colorant or as a mixture of the two (see Madder + Safflower). Although the visual difference between red safflower or madder used alone and a mixture of the two is currently difficult to discern, madder may have been used to extend the safflower, which was known to be expensive. By the mid-1800s, madder can be seen mixed with vermilion or iron oxide red, most often seen in the cartouches. The pink color of madder also appears opaque when compared to the ethereal pink of safflower. The opacity of pink madder may indicate that the colorant may have been laked onto a mineral white, such as calcium carbonate during its formulation.
Although not traditionally listed as a printing colorant thought to have been used for ukiyo-e prints, madder has been detected extensively in our analysis.
For additional information see: Madder, Madder (Rubia tinctorum) LC, Madder (Indian madder, Rubia cordifolia) LC, Madder (Rubia akane) LC, Uemura Dye Archive: Japanese madder 293, 230, Rubia tinctorum (Kew), Rubia cordifolia (Kew), Rubia argyi (Kew)
Examples of Madder in Ukiyo-e Prints
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Analysis
Excitation Emission Matrix (EEM) spectroscopy can easily identify the organic reds: safflower, madder, and sappanwood.
3D EEM plots for Red references 
Overlay of EEM curves for Red references 
Overlay of FORS spectra for Red references 
Overlay of Emission curves for Madder 
Overlay of Excitation curves for Madder 
Visible light and UVA for Red references
Interpretation
- Madder fluoresces brightly under UVA radiation and produces a unique EEM pattern that helps differentiate it from safflower, which also fluoresces.
- The 3D EEM spectrum of madder appears as a tall oval (or flatten circle) shape in the orange-red region with an excitation max of 560 nm and an emission max about 580-590 nm.
- Additionally, the 3D EEM spectrum for madder exhibits a vertical 'tail' from along its emission line.
Images of Madder
Rubia tinctorum L.
Rubia cordifolia, by Vinayaraj
Rubia argyi
Madder root
Madder, akane
Madder (Rubia argyi), akane
Madder powder (Rubia tinctorum)
Madder lakes
Dye mixtures from madder on paper
Madder (audio), by Harvard Art Museums
List of Prints
Below is a list of prints where madder was detected.
Pages in category "Madder: Ukiyo-e colorant"
The following 76 pages are in this category, out of 76 total.
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- Harunobu, Kojima Bingo no Saburô Takanori, 11.19633
- Harunobu, Parody of the Three Evening Poems: Teika, Jakuren, and Saigyô, 11.19703
- Harunobu, Young Couple with Bush Clover; Parody of the Musashi Plain Episode of Tales of Ise, 11.19454
- Harunobu, Young Man Playing a Shakuhachi, 21.4677
- Hiroshige I, Enjoying the Cool of Evening on the Riverbed at Shijô, from the series Famous Views of Kyoto, 06.890
- Hiroshige I, Naitô Shinjuku, Yotsuya, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11.35823
- Hiroshige I, Pine of Success and Oumayagashi, Asakusa River, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11.17029
- Hiroshige I, The Yodo River, from the series Famous Views of Kyoto, 11.2111
- Hiroshige I/Hiroshige II, Ueno Yamashita, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 11.35842
- Hokkei, Goat Standing by a Plum Tree, 21.9277
- Hokusai, Act VII, from the series The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers, a Primer, 11.17604
- Hokusai, Actor Sakata Hangorô III as a Traveling Priest, actually Chinzei Hachirô Tametomo, 11.19925
- Hokusai, Actors Ichikawa Danjûrô VII as Asahina and Ichikawa Monnosuke III as Tsukisayo, 11.20417
- Hokusai, An no Heibei with a Courtesan, from an untitled series of the Five Manly Men, 11.16854
- Hokusai, Ariwara Narihira, from an untitled series of the Six Poetic Immortals formed by the characters for their names, 11.17502
- Hokusai, Box and Tray of Paper, with Gift Decorations, 11.16766
- Hokusai, Bun'ya no Yasuhide, from an untitled series of the Six Poetic Immortals formed by the characters for their names, 11.17501
- Hokusai, Chinese Boys Pulling a Cart, 21.10201
- Hokusai, Chiryû, from an untitled series of the Fifty-three Stations of the Tôkaidô Road, 34.303
- Hokusai, Courtesan and Kamuro with Hagoita, 11.20410
- Hokusai, Dance of the Gods at the Heavenly Cave part 1, 11.20434
- Hokusai, Evening Bell at Mii-dera Temple, from the series Eight Views of Ômi, a New Edition, 06.796
- Hokusai, Exhibition of Flower Arrangements in a Room Overlooking the Sumida River, 11.19658
- Hokusai, Fan Kuai and the Banquet at Hongmen, from the series Newly published Perspective Pictures, 11.14710
- Hokusai, Female Poet, from the series Five Poetic Immortals, 11.20419
- Hokusai, Finest Confectionary: Descending Geese at the Sumida River, from the series Eight Views of Edo on paper snack bags, 21.10234
- Hokusai, Flower Ball and Bamboo Blind, 21.7872
- Hokusai, Ladies Trading With a Peddler of Cosmetics and Accessories, 11.19659
- Hokusai, Lingering Snow for Azuma and Yohei, from the untitled series known as Eight Views of Tragic Lovers, 21.10195
- Hokusai, Man, Woman, and Child Preparing a Votive Banner at New Year, 53.2673
- Hokusai, Newly Published Perspective Picture: One Hundred Ghost Stories in a Haunted House, 46.1417
- Hokusai, Nobleman and Attendants Watching the Sunrise, 21.7871
- Hokusai, Susaki, from the series Three Shrines of the Goddess Benten, 11.20451
- Hokusai, Sôjô Henjô, from an untitled series of Six Poetic Immortals formed by the characters for their names, 11.17497
- Hokusai, The Fifth Month: The Sparrow Dance, from an untitled series of Niwaka festival dances representing the Twelve Months, 11.20767
- Hokusai, The Night Attack in Act XI of Chûshingura, 11.17612
- Hokusai, The Night Attack in Act XI of The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers, 11.17690
- Hokusai, The Night Attack in Act XI of The Storehouse of Loyal Retainers, 11.17691
- Hokusai, The Ninth Month: The Dance of the Chrysanthemum Boy, Performed on a Stage, from an untitled series of Niwaka festival dances representing the Twelve Months, 21.10197
- Hokusai, The Plum-blossom Shell, from the series The Poetry-Shell Matching Game of the Genroku Era, 21.9225
- Hokusai, The Seventh Month: The Bon Festival Dance, from an untitled series of Niwaka festival dances representing the Twelve Months, 11.19932
- Hokusai, The Seventh Month: The Bon Festival Dance, from an untitled series of Niwaka festival dances representing the Twelve Months, 21.10196
- Hokusai, The Sixth Month: Washing the Portable Shrine, from an untitled series of Niwaka festival dances representing the Twelve Months, 11.19931
- Hokusai, The Story of Minamoto Yoshitsune and Jôruri-hime, from the series Perspective Pictures, 11.17572
- Hokusai, View of Koshigoe from Shichiri-ga-hama, 21.9224
- Hokusai, Watching Fireworks in the Cool of the Evening at Ryôgoku Bridge, from the series Newly Published Perspective Pictures, 21.10202
- Hokusai, Yoritomo's Camp in the Foothills of Mount Fuji, 11.19662
- Hokusai, Ôtomo no Kuronushi, from an untitled series of Six Poetic Immortals formed by the characters for their names, 11.17496
- Hokusai, Ôtomo no Kuronushi, from an untitled series of Six Poetic Immortals formed by the characters for their names, 21.10218
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- Kiyohiro, The Attributes of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, 11.19089
- Kiyomasu II, Actor Ogino Izaburô I as Yamagami Gennai, Acting in the Aragoto Style with the Sumikazura Wig, 11.13297
- Kiyomitsu I, Actor Ichikawa Danzô III as Adachi Hachirô, 11.19030
- Kiyonaga, Actors Matsumoto Kôshirô IV as Ukita Sakingo and Sawamura Sôjûrô III as the Ghost of Takao, with chanters Tomimoto Itsukidayû and Tomimoto Awatayû, and accompanist Sasaki Ichishirô, 11.13921
- Kiyonaga, Actors Matsumoto Kôshirô IV as Ukita Sakingo and Sawamura Sôjûrô III as the Ghost of Takao, with chanters Tomimoto Itsukidayû and Tomimoto Awatayû, and accompanist Sasaki Ichishirô, 21.5476
- Kunisada, Actor Sawamura Tanosuke II, from the series Actor Rebuses, 11.42324
- Kunisada, Komurasaki of the Kado-Tamaya, kamuro Kochô and Sayuri, from the series Comparison of Beauties of the Pleasure Quarters, 11.20991
- Kunisada, Moon Viewing at Mukôjima, a Triptych, from the series Moon, Snow and Flowers, 11.15216
- Kunisada, Poem by Ariwara no Narihira Ason: (Actor Ichikawa Danjûrô VIII as) Seigen, from the series Comparisons for Thirty-six Selected Poems, 11.42663
- Kuniyoshi, (Actor Ichikawa Ebizô V as) Inuyama Dôsetsu, from the series The Lives of Eight Brave and Loyal Dog Heroes, 11.28841
- Kuniyoshi, Actor Ichikawa Kodanji IV as the Ghost of Asakura Tôgo, 11.30460
- Kuniyoshi, Drying Board Suggesting Hiyodorigoe, from the series Women in Benkei-checked Fabrics, 11.36363
- Kuniyoshi, Hosokute: Horikoshi Dairyô, from the series Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidô Road, 11.28766
- Kuniyoshi, Ruan Xiaowu, the Short-lived Second Son, from the series One Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Shuihuzhuan, 64.800
- Kuniyoshi, Takeout Sushi Suggesting Ataka, from the series Women in Benkei-checked Fabrics, 11.36360
- Kuniyoshi, Tsumagome: Abe no Yasuna and the Fox Kuzunoha, from the series Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaidô Road, 11.41803
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- Sharaku, Actors Ichikawa Komazô III as Kameya Chûbei and Nakayama Tomisaburô I as Umegawa, 11.16483
- Shigemasa, Perspective Picture of the Sleeping Dragon Plum in the Plum Garden at Kameido, 11.14975
- Shigemasa, Perspective Picture of the Sleeping Dragon Plum in the Plum Garden at Kameido, 11.14977
- Shunshō, No. 6, Cui Zongzhi (Saisôshi), from the series Eight Immortals of The Wine Cup, 11.14847
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- Toyoharu, A Fashionable Picture of Wada's Banquet, from the series Scenes of Japan in Perspective Pictures, 54.1499
- Toyoharu, The Armor-pulling Scene at Wada's Banquet, 11.14704
- Toyoharu, The Armor-pulling Scene at Wada's Banquet, 11.14725
- Toyokuni, Actor Arashi Kitsusaburô I as the Monkey Trainer Yojirô, in the Horikawa Scene of the Play Oshun and Denbei, 11.30331