Tradition,pasion,a way of life

Easter painted eggs

Interview

 

We: Good morning, we know you are a busy man, so we wish to thank you for inviting us in. As we have already told you on the phone we are involved in a project about “Easter egg painting in Bukovina” that intends to promote on a web page this specific form of local art. That is why we need your help in getting some information about it.  

Mr. Postolache: Good morning. All right. I’m happy to help you, for as far as I can tell it is the first initiative of this kind here.  .

We: Can you tell us how old is this custom of egg painting?

Mr. Postolache: This tradition is old, from the times before Christ .They say that they've found painted eggs in the pyramids ,in the egyptians burial places. The first one who brought this tradition to our country was, says the documents, Paul de Aleco in the XVII th century.

 

We: Is this tradition strictly associated with the Christian Easter?

 

Mr. Postolache: Yes, it is. This is how this christian art has began. They say that in the day that Jesus Christ was crucified and his hands and legs were pierced with kneels , Virgin Mary placed a basket of eggs underneath Him. The blood of Christ fell in the basket , and it made them red. Red spots was one of the first models on the eggs.

 

The time has passed, of course. At first, the eggs were only painted in great Thursday, but now, painting eggs has become a real industry. Some women, which have no other source of making money or any other talent, work for hours, days, weeks, to sell the eggs. It is true that today there are families that are being supported only by the money they earn from painting eggs. Painting eggs has become a decent way to earn your existence.

 

We:  How does the museum promovates painted eggs? Do you have a special area dedicated to this kind of art form?

 

Mr. Postolache: Sure , we are proud  of this art, specifically to Bukovina, that is why, in the museum , on the way in, there is a place where we sell painted eggs (for those who want a souvenir  when they leave the museum ). The rest of the eggs are in a different room and are used only in temporary exhibitions. On Easter, there is a special exhibition in the museum dedicated only to this art.

 

We: What else can you tell us?

 

Mr. Postolache: If you are interested you may go to the Festival of painted eggs which is held on the beginning of March in a village from our district called Ciocanesti. The festival is at the second edition now and it gathers together the most important artists of Bukovina. I also can put you in contact with  some of our local artists.

 

We: We intend to dedicate a section of our site to the museum. Can we take some photos inside the museum?

 

Mr. Postolache: Of course you can. The museum hasn’t a web site of it’s own, so this will be an important step for us. I think your idea is great so I am the one who wants to tank for this.

 

At the end of the interview we took photos of the staff personal of the museum and of some of the most important sections that can be seen on the photo gallery of the museum.

To find out more about this art of egg painting, we've decided to go talk to one of the persons who is in the heart of the cultural life of our town. Mr. Postolache is a plastic artist, a well known painter, member of the Romanian Plastic Artist Union and , at the same the time the manager of the Museum  in our town.   .

 

Mr. Postolache Traian