Hosoge

About this work

Rendered on kumohada-mashi paper, this depiction of the hōsōge—a stylized floral motif rooted in Buddhist decorative tradition—combines mineral pigments, ink, and gold leaf with kirikane, a technique of cutting and applying fine strips of fused metal foil. The precise gilt lines trace the arabesque patterning across the intimate format, their subtle luster emerging from the interplay of pigment layers and metallic surface, grounding an ancient ornamental vocabulary in the material specificity of contemporary Nihonga practice.