Dyed Scrolls

Hanging scrolls are one of the traditional Japanese types of paintings. The picture is protected by layers of paper on the back, and framed by gorgeous woven fabric applied around the edges of the scroll. The scroll can be rolled up when not in use. In the late Edo Period, many simplified dyed scrolls were produced. As shown in the figure, both the picture and the woven decoration were dyed. Many such scrolls were produced in the Kaga region. A dyed scroll depicting a statue of the Goddess of Mercy, which was produced by Kaga’s Tarodaya dyeing company, is housed in a temple in distant Tokushima Prefecture.