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« 2024. # 5 (179)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2024. № 5 (179), 1258—1294

UDK 738.8 (477) “18/19”

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

THE COLLECTION OF PYSANKY (EASTER EGGS) AT THE MUSEUM OF ETHNOGRAPHY AND CRAFTS: SPECIFICITY OF DECOR

IVASHKIV Halyna

  • ORCID ID: htps: // orcid.org/0000-0003-2359-6735
  • Doctor of Sciences in Art Criticism, Senior Scholar,
  • at the Ethnology Institute
  • at the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
  • Folk Art Department,
  • at the Museum of Ethnography, Arts and Crafts
  • 15, Svoboda Ave., 79000, Lviv, Ukraine
  • Contacts: e-mail: halynaivashkiv@ukr.net

Abstract. The research into a collection of Easter eggs at the Museum of Ethnography and Crafts at the Ethnology Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (MEC) proves to be topical, since it has never been examined before.

Therefore, the article aims to perform an art critical analysis of peculiarities of Easter egg dйcor at MEC.

The object of this research involves pysanky from various regions in Ukraine, and the subject is the activity of Easter egg makers as well as artistic specificity of their works. Methodologically, the article is based on the principle of systematicity, historism and comparativity through the use of cultural and historical as well as comparative and typological methods.

The given article analyzes dйcor of the pysanky dating back to the late 19th — first half of the 20th cc. from many historical and ethnographical regions: Opillia, Podillia, Middle Naddniprianshchyna, Volyn, Polissia, Hutsulshchyna, Pokuttia, Boikivshchyna, Bukovyna, Nadsiannia, Pidliashshia, Lemkivshchyna and Kholmshchyna. Types of painted Easter eggs include those created with wax and a special stylus. The dйcor of such eggs represents major geometrical motifs (e.g. solar signs, dots, twisted lines, triangles, rhombuses, signs of infinity and crosses), vegetative motifs (a leaf, a flower, a branch and a flowerpot), as well zoomorphic ones (depicting animals, fish and birds). Some Easter eggs have their author’s signature or inscriptions with Easter greetings, fragments of prayers etc.

A small number of Easter eggs dates back to the late 19th c. — the item from Ostriv (Podillia region) is the oldest one (1882). This egg is decorated with the motif of «a windmill». A pysanka with crosses from Hutsulshchyna, namely Moskalivka has 1890 inscribed on it, whereas the Easter egg from Slobidka (Podillia) has the inscription «Christ has risen. 1891» alongside with «chain» motifs. The 1894 Easter eggs from Volyn are characterized by two fields and relatively big images of birds and animals. A group of eggs dating back to the early 20th c. till the 1930 s proves to be the most numerous one. Vegetative motifs (namely «viburnum leaves», branches and roses) prevail in the dйcor of Easter eggs from Volyn (1907).

A pysanka from Hermakivka (Podillia) refers to 1930. Inventory books have information about some items of 1939. The research is based on numerous sources, in particular the Easter eggs that are kept at MEC, the Museum’s inventory books, scientific and popular books, albums and archive materials.

Keywords: pysanka (Easter egg), Easter egg makers, a collection in the fund, inventory books, the division of a pysanka into fields, paints, decorative specificity.

Received 28.10.2024

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