kinkarakawa　金唐皮

KEY WORD :　art history / crafts

Lit. gold Chinese leather. A kind of decorated leather with patterns created by painting, relief or gold foil. Introduced from Europe in the Edo period, it was used primarily for the decoration of furniture and walls, but also on bags, boxes, and saddles. The materials used are oxhide, cowhide, calfskin and goat skin (kid). In the late Edo period, thick kouzo 楮 (paper mulberry) was used instead of the leather, and called gikakushi 擬革紙 (fake leather paper) or kinkarakawa. Reportedly Hiraga Gennai 平賀源内 (1728-79) invented gikakushi, layering paper reinforced with persimmon tannin, impressing an intaglio design, and coating it with gold lacquer. In the Meiji period, it was used for book binding.

REFERENCES:

EXTERNAL LINKS:

NOTES:

(C)2001 Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System.　No reproduction or republication without written permission. 掲載のテキスト・写真・イラストなど、全てのコンテンツの無断複製・転載を禁じます。