kirihaku　切箔

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Lit. cut-foil. A method of ornamentation using gold and/or silver leaf cut *haku 箔 into different shaped pieces and applied to various surfaces with rice paste or lacquer. The term also applies to cut foil itself. The kirihaku technique was developed in the 10-11c and was most commonly used to decorate writing papers, sutras, illustrated handscrolls *emaki 絵巻 and screens. Different names are given to the various sizes and shapes of kirihaku in accordance with their resemblance to natural objects: large pieces are called ishi 石 (stones); fine, long, narrow pieces *noge 野毛 for their resemblance to the tips or beards of pampas grass; smaller square pieces arare 霰 (hailstones) or sanshou 山椒 (black pepper); and the finest ones *sunago 砂子 for their similarity to grains of sand. Those lacking a specific form are called momihaku 揉み箔 because they appear rubbed rather than cut. Kirihaku is similar to *kirikane 切金, but kirihaku is sprinkled over a surface, not deliberately pasted, thus the resultant pattern is irregular and spontaneous.

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