Kappazuri
Encyclopedia
Kappazuri, also known as kappa-zuri, kappazuri-e, and as katagamizuri-e, are Japanese prints
printed in a single color (usually black) from woodblocks and then colored by stenciling. Prints produced entirely by stenciling, without woodblocks, are also called kappazuri. Kappazuri may be identified by the presence of visible brushstrokes, unevenness of color, pooling of ink at the margins of the stencil cutouts, and gaps or overlaps between colored areas and black outlines.
Although also produced in Edo (Tokyo), Kappazuri are more closely associated with prints from Osaka
and Kyoto
. The most prolific designer of Kappazuri was Urakusai Nagahide
, and the most abundant examples are his depictions of the annual costume parade in the Gion
district of Kyoto
.
Woodblock printing in Japan
Woodblock printing in Japan is a technique best known for its use in the ukiyo-e artistic genre; however, it was also used very widely for printing books in the same period. Woodblock printing had been used in China for centuries to print books, long before the advent of movable type, but was only...
printed in a single color (usually black) from woodblocks and then colored by stenciling. Prints produced entirely by stenciling, without woodblocks, are also called kappazuri. Kappazuri may be identified by the presence of visible brushstrokes, unevenness of color, pooling of ink at the margins of the stencil cutouts, and gaps or overlaps between colored areas and black outlines.
Although also produced in Edo (Tokyo), Kappazuri are more closely associated with prints from Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
. The most prolific designer of Kappazuri was Urakusai Nagahide
Urakusai Nagahide
Urakusai Nagahide , was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints who was active from about 1804 to about 1848. He is also known as Yūrakusai Nagahide , Nakamura Nagahide , Chōshū , and as Chōshūsai . “Nagahide” and “Chōshū” are written with the same kanji...
, and the most abundant examples are his depictions of the annual costume parade in the Gion
Gion
is a district of Kyoto, Japan, originally developed in the Middle Ages, in front of Yasaka Shrine. The district was built to accommodate the needs of travelers and visitors to the shrine...
district of Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
.