Creation and reference characterization of Edo period Japanese woodblock printing ink colorant samples using multimodal imaging and reflectance spectroscopy

Abstract

Abstract The Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division holds a large collection of Edo period (1615–1868) nishiki-e, Japanese multicolored woodblock prints. The sensitivities of some of the traditional colorants to environmental and conservation treatment factors results in numerous preservation concerns. Characterization of colorants in these prints can help guide preservation policies, however, identification of colorants can be difficult and re-creation methodologies for reference samples have been elusive. This paper details reproducible colorant preparation methods and characterizes these samples using accessible non-invasive techniques, multimodal imaging and reflectance spectroscopy. A majority of the colorants can be identified using the two techniques as complementary methods.

Keywords

• Japanese woodblock prints
• Nishiki-e
• Ukiyo-e
• Colorants
• Sample-making
• FORS