KAGA-YUZEN (DYEING)

Explanatory Notes

Name of the work:
Playing with Waves

The sea in Kanaiwa, where waves are whipped up by wind from the offing. Plovers play in the waves with wind blowing their wings. Unrestricted by tradition, this work is characterized by a bold use of color and modern design.

KAGA-YUZEN (DYEING)
HISTORY & FEATURES

The history of Kaga-yuzen dates back 500 years, when umezome (plain dyeing) was the distinctive dyeing technique of the Kaga district. In the mid 17th century, pattern and picture dyeing were introduced to produce elegant designs, and those techniques evolved into today’s Kaga-yuzen technique. In 1712, Yuzensai Miyazaki came to Kanazawa from Kyoto as a designer of the Tarodaya dyeing house. With his outstanding skill as a designer, he greatly contributed to the development of Kaga-yuzen. Kaga-yuzen realistically depicts natural elements such as flowers, birds and landscapes. These aesthetic choice distinguish the style from Kyo-yuzen, which features stylized patterns. Kaga-yuzen is also characterized by the technique of shading from the outside to the inside of the patterns, which creates a delicate effect.