urazaishiki　裏彩色

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

A technique used to apply color to the reverse side of a painting. Pigments applied to the back to one part of a painting to produce unique color effects on the opposite side. The most common method is to apply paint thickly to the back and then apply it lightly to the front; this produces an effect which multiplies the intensity of the color. Sometimes the same color as the one used on the front is added to the back, but at other times the base coat is a different color. The *kakiokoshi 描起し technique (re-drawing of lines over colors) was then used to enliven contours and details. Judging from extant examples, this technique was known from about 9c. For example, urazaishiki can be seen in the faces of the three early 13c portraits of Minamoto Yoritomo 源頼朝 (1147-99), Fujiwara Mitsuyoshi 藤原光能 (1132-83) and Taira Shigemori 平重盛 (1138-79) at Jingoji 神護寺 (Kyoto) where thick, white pigments have been added from the back.

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