Aka-e

An aka-e (赤絵 "red picture") is a type of ukiyo-e that is printed entirely or predominantly in red. Aka-e were said to be talismans against smallpox, especially when they bore images of Shōki the demon queller. A woodblock print having a significant portion of the design entirely in red may also be considered to be an aka-e.

Gallery

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  Courtesan and Boy Flower Seller, an aka-e by Okumura Masanobu, c. 1730s

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  Shōki Appearing in a Dream (Muchû Shôki shutsugen no zu), a chûban an aka-e by Sadanobu Hasegawa I, c. 1840

References

• Itō, Kyōko, "Disease Prevention Prints", Daruma, Issue 40, Vol. 10, No. 4, Autumn 2003, 13–27.
• Newland, Amy Reigle, Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints, Amsterdam, Hotei, 2005, p. 418, ISBN 978-90-74822-65-7
• Ujlaki, Peter, "Aka-e-Talisman Prints", Daruma, Issue 51, Vol. 13, No. 3, Summer 2006, p. 53.