Aka-e

An Aka-e or “red picture” is a type of ukiyo-e that is printed entirely or predominantly in red. Aka-e were said to be talismans against smallpox, especially when they bore images of Shōki the demon queller. A woodblock print having a significant portion of the design entirely in red may also be considered to be an aka-e.

Gallery

• 
  Courtesan and Boy Flower Seller, an aka-e by Okumura Masanobu, c. 1730s
• 
  Shōki Appearing in a Dream (Muchû Shôki shutsugen no zu), a chûban an aka-e by Sadanobu Hasegawa I, c. 1840

References

• Kyôko, Itô, “Disease Prevention Prints”, Daruma, Issue 40, Vol. 10, No. 4, Autumn 2003, 13-27.
• Newland, Amy Reigle, Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints, Amsterdam, Hotei, 2005, p. 418, ISBN 9789074822657
• Ujlaki, Peter, “Aka-e-Talisman Prints”, Daruma, Issue 51, Vol. 13, No. 3, Summer 2006, p. 53.