Pysanky

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