ishizuri e 石摺絵

Also mokutaku zuri e 木拓摺絵. A print with a totally black inked background and outlines of forms left white, giving a striking effect similar to a stone rubbing. Early examples of such prints were designed by Okamura Masanobu 奥村政信 (1686-1764) and Nishimura Shigenaga 西村重長 (1697?-1756) in the late 17th century -early 18th century. Even after multi-colored prints became popular, artists such as Utagawa Hiroshige 歌川広重 (also known as Andō 安藤 Hiroshige; 1797-1858) produced a significant number of ishizuri e, using indigo rather than ink for the background color. Shortly after the mid-18th century, the painter-print-maker Itō Jakuchū 伊藤若冲 (1716-1800) made a number of ishizuri e, the most famous of which is the Jōkyōshū 乗興舟 handscroll.