Gofun

胡粉

A white pigment made from crusite oyster shells, ground to fine powder. Applied thickly, gofun created an opaque white; thinned, it produced translucent effects. It was essential for depicting snow, white garments, and skin tones in deluxe editions.

Related Terms

Gaufrage

空摺

See Karazuri. The French term for blind embossing, creating raised or impressed patterns without ink. This technique added tactile dimension and subtle visual interest to prints.

Geisha

芸者

Professional entertainers trained in traditional arts including music, dance, and conversation. Distinct from courtesans, geisha were frequent subjects in ukiyo-e, depicted in teahouses and at seasonal festivals.

Aiban

間判

A medium-sized print format measuring approximately 33 x 23 cm. The term translates to 'intermediate size' and was commonly used for actor prints and bijin-ga during the Edo period.

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