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.