友禅染めってなに？／ What is Yuzen-dyeing?
友禅染めは、もち粉を蒸して作った糊を防染に用いる伝統技法。型を用いずに手描きで筒から糊を絞り出して模様を表す、世界的にも珍しい手法です。
江戸時代に発展した染色技法であり、幕府の奢侈禁止令により、摺箔や豪華な織物の着物が禁止されたため、染めの技法で細密な模様を表すことの出来る友禅染めが発展することとなったと言われています。
Yu-zen dyeing is a traditional Japanese technique that involves applying steamed rice paste to create masking on silk. This distinctive method allows for the manual application of rice paste without relying on stencils, making it unique in its approach.
Currently, my artistic interest lies in Ukiyo-e, and I am endeavoring to recreate Hokusai’s “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” and Hiroshige’s “Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido.”
During the Edo period, the popularity of Ukiyo-e coincided with advancements in Yu-zen dyeing techniques. The Shogunate government’s luxury ban prompted the development of dyeing techniques capable of producing intricate patterns, as the use of gold leaf in fabric and kimono decoration was restricted.