藍染め
藍染めは、技術と芸術、そして人々の創造性の結晶として、言語や文化の違いを超えて、中欧5ヵ国に根付き、発展してきました。この技法は18世紀より使用されており、版木の中には300年前から7代に渡って使用され続けているものもあります。藍染めではまず、布を染料に浸す際に模様部分が染色されないよう、防染材を塗布します。染色後、防染材を洗い流すと、藍色の地の中に様々な彩度で模様が浮かび上がります。  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 藍染めの実際の工程を見てみたいという方のために、チェコ国内には見学可能な家族経営の工房が2ヵ所あります。一つはオルシェニツェのモドロチスク・ダンツィンゲル、そしてもう一つはストラージュニツェのアリモ工房です。
 

ストラージュニツェの藍染め 

スロヴァーツコ(モラヴィア=スロヴァキア地方)のストラージュニツェにあるこの藍染め工房は、ヨフ家が1906年に始めた、百年以上の伝統を誇る工房です。一年中オープンしており、工房のほか、ショップもあります。ショップではカレンダー、エプロン、ミトン、スカーフ、手提げなどのほか、藍染めの洋服、アクセサリー、あるいは裁縫用の布地もお買い求めいただけます。
 

藍染め工房「ダンツィンゲル」

南モラヴィアオレシュニツェでは、かつて亜麻が大量に栽培されており、どの家からも織機の音が響いていました。そしてここには当然、染色職人も居を構えていました。その一つ、19世紀に開業したダンツィンゲル家の家族工房は、今も昔ながらの版木を使い、昔ながらの技法を用い、手作業で操業を続けています。ここではダンツィンゲル家の人々が、藍染めの技法を懇切丁寧に解説し、手で彫った版木による模様付け、乾燥、自然のインディゴ藍染料に浸ける染色工程などを、その場でデモンストレーションしてくれます。ダンツィンゲル工房見学の所要時間は50分程度で、5月から9月末までご利用いただけます。