hōsō-e 疱瘡絵

Also *aka-e 赤絵. A woodblock print colored only with shades of red. The color was thought to ward off smallpox hōsō 疱瘡 and such prints were produced as charms against the disease. Hōsō-e originated in China and first appeared in Japan in the early decades of the 17th century, but most were produced during the first half of the 19th century when smallpox became widespread in Japan. Red-colored *Shōki 鍾馗 and other subjects from folk legends such as *Kintarō 金太郎 and *Momotarō 桃太郎 were associated with physical health and strength, and were popularly depicted by artists such as Utagawa Kunitora 歌川国虎 (fl. early 19th century), Kuniyasu 国安 (1794-1832), or Kunimaru 国丸 (1794-1829).