Sunday, March 20, 2011

Hand-Painted Easter Eggs from Poland, Dazzle with Color



One of the best parts of collecting is being able to pass on special ethnic articles to the next generation.

Polish artists near Krakow, in southern Poland, turn out incredibly colorful and detailed hand-painted eggs. They are called "pisanki," also often spelled "pysanky." 

















The Polish pisanki differ markedly in design from Ukrainian eggs. The Ukrainian artists use wax and dyes to make their "pysanky" eggs and the designs they use are much more geometric.














Because of having Polish roots, the hand painted wooden pisanki eggs are preferred around our house.  There are almost no two "pisanki" eggs alike. It's amazing to hold an egg in the palm of one's hand and examine the intricate detail that has gone into it.



The eggs are made from wood so they will last for generations.  Around here, the large pisanki eggs adorn the kitchen table in a glass dish. 



Luckily, at yard sales, smaller versions of the eggs have also been found. They are in a little dish on a downstairs counter. The plate below is filled with "little" pisanki eggs. See? They are just as adorable as the big ones!


Every spring, it's exciting to bring out the pisanki eggs, once again, to help celebrate Easter.  The talent of so many Polish artists has resulted in truly magnificent and colorful art.

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh I must tell you they are beautiful. It brought back such a wonderful memory for me. When I was a child there was a lady across the street that we called Aunt Aggie (she was not) but that is what she waneted us to call her. Anyway she never had any children and spoiled my sister and I rotten. She made these beautiful eggs and I would always sit there and just stare at them and she would tell me stories of her Mother and Father and how they taught her to paint the eggs. I just loved to listen to her stories and she promised that when I became of age she would share them with me and show me how to do them. Needless to say she passed away a few years after that and I have never saw them since. It brought tears to my eyes but good ones, wonderful memories of Aunt Aggie, thank you. I think way too often we don't tell people how we feel and sometimes in blogland it is hard to go into a long one on one and you really do not know the person on the other end but I just felt like I had to share what a nice thing you did for someone out there by sharing your pictures of your beautiful eggs.

Designs on 47th Street said...

Truly, your egg collection is beautiful! All so different and pretty at the same time. Isn' it fun to always be on he lookout for something?
Donna

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

These eggs are beautiful and hold such meaning for you. Everything a collection should be.

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I am amazed at how lovely these eggs are! Wow is all I can say. What a wonderful collection! hugs, Linda

diane stetson said...

I have some too and they are in a little basket in my living room..love them.

Chatty Crone said...

Oh Susan these eggs are just lovely - my husband is 100% Polish - his parents never had anything like this. They probably take some time to do and they probably get very little pay! Nice collection.

Love,
sandie

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

I've seen the Ukranian version, but never the Polish eggs. They're beautiful and the colors are so vibrant!

BECKY said...

Gorgeous eggs, Susan!

What Sadie Did said...

What a great idea, I'd love to do these! :)

Sadie

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