Over the weekend, I had to pleasure of being shown some
Ukrainian Pysanky eggs. I was absolutely in awe of the detail and craftsmanship
that one of these eggs contains. Then I found
out the steps that one has to go through to make these eggs, and I have to say
they truly are a work of art.
From the Ukrainian Museum:
Easter egg, pysanka, decorating is one of the most interesting
expressions of Ukrainian folk art. This tradition is very old and its beginnings
reach back to antiquity, when in attempting to understand creation, ancient
people developed myths in which the egg was perceived as the source of life, the
sun and the universe. Although such similar myths are found in many cultures of
the word, Ukrainians today are one of the few groups of people who still
strongly adhere to many of the ancient traditions associated with the egg.
The symbolic ornamentation of the pysanky consists of geometric motifs,
with some animal and plant elements. The most important motif is the stylized
symbol of the sun, which is seen as a broken cross, triangle, an eight point
rosette or a star. Other popular motifs are endless lines, stylized flowers,
leaves, the tree of life and also some animal figures such as stags, horses or
birds. The Christian influence brought elements such as the cross, the church
and fish.
here is an amazing tutorial on how to make these beautiful eggs.
Happy Tuesday!
xo
B
