Monica Sandu '24
Production Editor
Pysanky.[1] Ouă încondeiate. Hímestojás. Margutis. They go by many names, but elaborately decorated Easter eggs are a time-honored tradition throughout Central and Eastern Europe.
Pictured: Traditional Romanian Easter Eggs (Ouă încondeiate)
Photo Credit: https://cultivaprofitabil.ro/oua-incondeiate-cele-mai-frumoase-modele-facute-de-mesteri-populari/
History of the Painted Egg
Decorating eggs is an ancient art form. Fragments of 60,000-year-old painted eggshells have been found in rock shelters in Namaqualand, South Africa.[2] Painted ostrich eggs, along with gold and silver egg representations, were common in Sumerian and Egyptian graves as early as 5,000 years ago.[3]
Some sources trace the custom of egg dying to Persian Nowruz traditions adopted by early Christians in Mesopotamia, which then became adopted with the spread of Christianity.[4] It may have also coincided with existing pre-Christian traditions throughout Europe.[5] Eggs were a common symbol of fertility and rebirth, tying into springtime celebrations and the new year generally, as well as the Christian celebration of the Resurrection during Easter.[6]
Technique[7]
Two types of Easter eggs are typically prepared. The dyed eggs are hard-boiled eggs that are then soaked in vinegar and dyed to stain the shells; these are intended to be cracked and eaten. In contrast, the decorated eggs, which involve elaborate designs on hollowed-out eggshells, are aesthetic and contain lots of cultural and religious symbolism.
The process begins by hollowing out the egg. A fresh, raw egg is washed and dried. A thin needle is gently worked into each end of the egg until a small hole is made on either side. The needle is then inserted into the egg to break up the yolk inside. Finally, the artist will gently blow into one end of the egg until all of the egg’s contents come out, leaving behind only an intact eggshell. From there, the decorating can begin.
The most common method of preparing decorated eggs is through a series of wax-resist drawings.[8]First, the artisan dips a thin brush made of wire and a single boar bristle into hot, melted beeswax and draws the parts of the design that they wish to have in white. Once the wax dries, the egg is dipped in the lightest-color dye in the pattern, typically yellow. The wax prevents the dye from sticking to the covered portion, so lines drawn in wax will show up white. The artisan next draws the parts of the design that are to remain yellow and then dips the egg in another color of dye, such as red. The process repeats for each progressively darker color in the design until the egg is complete. Once all of the dye is dry, the wax resist is melted or scraped away, leaving behind the elaborate design made up of layers of dye.
An alternative method, typically used on wooden eggs or statutes, rather than eggshells themselves, is directly painting the designs. However, this method is not usually called pysanky, which is defined by the wax-resist technique. The eggs made using this alternative method can also be decorated with beads or, as in the case of the famed Fabergé eggs, gold and precious gems.
One of the most unique styles of egg decorating involves natural plant stencils. A small leaf or flower is tied to an egg or placed with an egg in a transparent cloth. The two are then boiled together with onion skins, which dye the egg a dark red-brown color. The leaf is then peeled away to reveal its imprint on the shell.
Motifs and Symbolism
Traditional Orthodox Easter eggs, both those meant for eating and those that are decorative, are dyed red, symbolic of the blood of Christ. Similarly, decorated eggs are usually black, red, and gold, though blues and greens are also sometimes used, invoking death and rebirth simultaneously.
Designs are primarily geometric, ranging from the simple to the intricate, though stylized flowers and other plant life are also very common and celebrate the life that returns to the world in springtime. Religious symbols, such as crosses, may also be included.
A combination of religious artwork and decorative folkcraft, Easter eggs are a living tradition celebrated around the world.
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ms7mn@virginia.edu
[1] In many Slavic languages, the term (pysanky in Ukrainian, pisanica in Croatian, pisanka in Polish, etc.) comes from the Old Slavonic word “пьсати” (pisamu), meaning “to write.” This is because Christian iconographic tradition often refers to the creation of religious art as “writing,” rather than painting, due to the narrative content of the work, as well as the spiritual process involved.
[2] Brian Stewart, Egg Cetera #6: Hunting for the world’s oldest decorated eggs, Univ. of Cambridge (Apr. 10, 2012), https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/egg-cetera-6-hunting-for-the-worlds-oldest-decorated-eggs.
[3] Easter Egg, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_egg.
[4] Id.; 8 Kenneth Thompson, Culture and Progress: Early Sociology of Culture (The Making of Sociology) 138 (1st ed. 2003).
[5] Egg decorating in Slavic culture, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_decorating_in_Slavic_culture.
[6] Victoria Williams, Celebrating Life Customs Around the World (2016).
[7] Unica, How to Paint Easter Eggs, YouTube (May 18, 2011), https://youtu.be/JdGMojAXvHc.
[8] On Wednesday, August 4, the Orthodox Christian Law Student Association (OCLSA) hosted an egg-decorating workshop, exploring the lesser-known technique of using Sharpie on plastic eggs.