Infrared Photography of MoDA Katagami Stencils

The katagami stencils at the Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture date from the late nineteenth century, and were originally used for printing kimono fabric. They are marked with stamps and calligraphic marks which tell us who made them, and where and when. These marks are not always visible to the naked eye, which is why infrared photography can help. These are infrared images of the stencils, taken by Justin Piperger, focusing on marks and calligraphy. These images have been used by Mamiko Markham in her research, which involved analysing the marks to understand exactly what they mean.