Exploring Imperial Purple / Tsuneo Yoshioka

Emperor Purple Exploration / Tsuneo Yoshioka

Published: April 18, 1983
Author: Tsuneo Yoshioka
Cover Design: Kayoko Mizuno
Bookbinding: Shin Nippon Seihon Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Shikosha Co., Ltd.
Size: 29.8cm x 22.2cm x 9mm

Price: ¥3,800

The cover shows some fading and soiling, but the interior is in near-unused condition.

* This is an old book, but it is in very good condition.
* There are no noticeable stains or scratches, but please refrain from purchasing if you are concerned about any overlooked imperfections.

○ Contents of this book:
A 17-year chronicle of journeys exploring the origins of dyeing, including Emperor Purple.
There is no color that captures and fascinates the eye more than purple. Among them, the noble color revered as "Emperor Purple," a phantom color extracted from a sea-dwelling shellfish. The author traveled the world for 17 years, visiting Italy, Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, Peru, and Mexico to research and trace the traditions of this color. The book also includes the history of Emperor Purple and a conversation with author Yoshiko Shibaki.

【What is Emperor Purple?】
The internal organs of shellfish of the family Muricidae have a special gland called the purple gland, which, when extracted and exposed to the sun, turns purple. It takes 2,000 shells to obtain just one gram of pigment, making it a valuable natural pigment. For this reason, it was called Royal Purple (Emperor Purple) and Tyrian Purple, and its use was permitted only to emperors and nobles in the Greek and Roman empires. According to legend, after the assassination of Caesar, Antony summoned Queen Cleopatra, who had returned to Egypt, and the sails of the ship carrying Cleopatra were dyed with shellfish purple.

【From the "Introduction"】
Among the infinite colors, people have always associated purple with images of nobility and mysterious charm, but when I say, "Its origin is actually a shell," most people look puzzled. Indeed, until the invention of chemical dyes, most of the colors used for clothing were plant dyes extracted from wildflowers and trees, so it is understandable to question an animal-based source like a shell. However, dyeing purple with the internal organs of shells also has a long history, just like those plant dyes.