引き染

　今では植物染料を用いた染は浸染によるものが多く、刷毛で染める引き染の利用は少ない。国内外の技法書が紹介する方法もほとんどが浸染である。

　しかし、化学染料が主流となるまでは、植物染料の引き染が長らく型染の場合の基本的な手法として多用されてきた。糊型染技法の発達に伴い、より適した染色技法として、刷毛による引き染が出現する。

　江戸時代には小紋や友禅染に於いて、植物染料の引き染が盛んにおこなわれている。また、室町時代（1333年-1573年）から江戸時代（1603-1868年）にかけての染色工程を描いた職人尽絵屏風「型置師」には刷毛による色差し作業の姿も見られる。図中の干している反物も引き染特有の色分けがされており、このことから、室町後期には引き染が行われていたことがわかる。室町時代の日本最古の小紋染の作例として、伝上杉謙信所用「黄色小花模様小紋帷子」(上杉神社所蔵)がある。この作品は型染と引き染で制作されている。

 

     Now, most of the dyeing techniques that use plant dye are immersion dyeing. While many artists use immersion dyeing, in contrast, there are not many practitioners using brush dyeing. Almost all introductory technique books only describe the process of immersion dyeing. However, until chemical dyes became main stream, brush dyeing using plant dyes was for hundreds of years often used as a basic technique of paste-resist dyeing. Following the development of rice glue paste-resist dyeing, brush applied dyeing appeared to be a better technique.

     In the Edo period (1603-1868 CE), in dyeing in a fine pattern and in the yuzen process (hand-painted dyeing typically used for kimono), brush dyeing using plant dyes was frequently utilized. Also, the process of applying colors by brush between the Muromachi period (1333-1573 CE) and the Edo period can be seen in the work of Kataoki-shi (the word refers to dyeing artisan who uses the process of putting glue on paper or fabric), in particular on the folding screen series “Shokunin Zukushi-e,” an Edo-era artwork that depicts the kataoki-shi and dye artisans at work. The fabric that is seen in the screen is divided by colors. Based on these examples, it has been proven that brush dyeing had started by the late Muromachi period. The oldest extant example of pattern dyeing in good condition is Den Uesugi Kenshin Shoyoh Kiiro Kobana Moyou Shohmon Katabira Uesugi Jinja Shozoh, which is a single layer yellow-dyed kimono with a small flower pattern and which was made at the end of the Muromachi period. This work was created by stencil dyeing and brush dyeing.