urahaku　裏箔

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

A painting technique used to apply metal foil *haku 箔 to the back of silk. The foil shines through the silk to produce a painting called *eginu 絵絹 which has a soft, subdued effect. This technique was first used for Buddhist painting during the Heian period for the depiction of halos and other ornaments on, or surrounding a deity. For example, urahaku is used for the metal ornaments on the mid-11c Fudou Myououzou 不動明王像 at Shouren-in 青蓮院, Kyoto (commonly known as Aofudou 青不動). This technique has been used in both Buddhist and secular painting up until the modern period.

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