Lit. gold ground. Generally refers to the gold background of a painting, regardless of whether the gold is applied as leaf *haku 箔 or paint *dei 泥. However, some scholars make a distinction and limit the use of this term to backgrounds of gold foil only. The gold background may represent actual ground or clouds, but may also suggest empty space. Since around 15th-16th century, gold ground came to be used along with bright pigments *dami-e 濃絵 on screens and sliding door panels *kinpeki shōhekiga 金碧障壁画. During the 16th-17th century, the interplay of gold ground and gold clouds kin'un 金雲 became a prominent compositional convention. *Kano-ha 狩野派 artists in particular, designed complex and innovative compositions. Later, in the 17th century, Tawaraya Sōtatsu 俵屋宗達 (?-1640?) and other early *Rinpa 琳派 artists developed a new decorative style using kinji.