kiriko-e 切子絵

One type of brightly colored paper, chiyogami 千代紙 on which small designs of theater costumes, crests, flowers and grasses, or bugs and fish are printed. These figures could then be cut out one by one and put together. When kiriko-e were first designed in the Bunsei 文政 era (1804-30), high-quality paper was used, and the quality of the carved blocks and printing were excellent. Later lesser quality paper was often used and the finished product was coarse. The idea of cutting out forms and putting them together is also called kumitate-e 組立絵.