As new innovations were added, the term
yuzen came to be tacked on to just about every surface design
technique except embroidery. In a modern context it has lost
all meaning, and perhaps has as much descriptive value as the
term new and improved has in American English.
miyamairi
tsutsugaki (cone applied resist) yuzen on
chirimen
In this exquisite example of traditional
yuzen, you can see the expert skill and steady hand required in
applying the paste resist to the unforgiving silk. In the
detail to the far right, notice that the outlines of the white
peony are not white but fuscia. With the advent of synthetic
dyes during the Meiji Period, artists began to add color the
the paste before applying it, yielding yet another dimension to
these fabulous creations.
OK, so at least the term yuzen tells me
it comes from Kyoto, right? Not so. Kyoto is where it all
started, however, Miyazaki Yuzen later moved to Kaga (modern
Kanazawa) and took his skills with him. Today the most widely
known forms of yuzen are Kyo-yuzen (Kyoto), Kaga-yuzen (Kanazawa), Edo-yuzen (Tokyo) and Nagoya-yuzen (these last two cities have nothing to do
with Miyazaki Yuzen, but there you are!).
Meiji Period Fukusa
cone resist Kyo-yuzen
Notice the fine quality lines of the
itonori (thread fine paste lines).
Kaga noren
hand painted Kaga-yuzen
Notice the absence of white (paste
resisted) outlines.
karinui kimono
tsutsugaki yuzen
This is the technique most people conjure
up when yuzen is mentioned - delicate white lines and romantic
colors.
Of course, in trying to follow the above,
the point you must not loose track of, is that the fabric is
indeed exquisite - no matter by which name it is called nor
which technique employed.
