KAGA-YUZEN (DYEING)

Explanatory Notes

Name of the work:
Pine Grove and Seagulls

Amagozen, a spot of scenic beauty in the Kaga region. White waves beyond the pine grove are illuminated by the sun, and seagulls playfully follow the sunlight. The work is characterized by its design, which is just like a sketch that captures the beauty of nature.

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.