urahaku 裏箔

A painting technique used to apply metal foil *haku 箔 to the back of silk. The foil shines through the silk to produce a painting called *eginu 絵絹 which has a soft, subdued effect.

This technique was first used for Buddhist painting during the Heian period for the depiction of halos and other ornaments on, or surrounding a deity. For example, urahaku is used for the metal ornaments on the mid-11th century Fudō Myōō-zō 不動明王像 at Shōren'in 青蓮院, Kyoto (commonly known as Aofudō 青不動). This technique has been used in both Buddhist and secular painting up until the modern period.