Symbolism, Mysticism and Magic: Textiles and the Lives of Western Slavic Women 1850 – 1939
Open AccessThe art of textiles has always played a significant role in the lives of women in Western Slavic folk culture. Textiles, outside of their most basic utilitarian functions, were used as a canvas to express identity, as tools of religious worship, and a placeholder for the circle of life or even marital status. Textiles were also used to communicate with the outside world and to show respect to people’s ancestors. Further, the process of textile and garment making served as a basis to cultivate relationships between women and also served to pass down traditions from generation to generation, which was the core of family life. In Western Slavic culture, textiles were even attributed to have “magical” properties and were often used as protection from evil. The “Golden Age” of textile development started at the second half of the 19th century with the end of serfdom and the improvement of life of the peasant class in Eastern Europe. This Golden Age lasted until the outbreak of WWII, however, the development of many of the Slavic motifs and techniques began at the beginning of the pre-Christian times, and the primary Slavic textiles traditions were cultivated even earlier, at the beginning of first settlements on the lands in the east of Europe. In my dissertation, I focus on the symbolic properties of textiles in Western Slavic culture and the role of textiles as a channel of communication for women. I describe the common motifs and techniques present in the Western Slavic countries, trace their origins, and decipher their meanings. What is more, I emphasize the role of textiles as a major source of income, independence, and a basis for building self-esteem for Slavic women. My goal is to contribute to the field of decorative arts and design history by describing Western Slavic textile history and theory and to expand these concepts to apply to all feminism worldwide and across economic and racial boundaries.
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DelikatTaylor_gwu_0075M_16067.pdf | 2022-10-04 | Open Access |
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