Happy Easter! This week's postcard features an early 1900s Vintage illustration reproduced by a local printing company, Laughing Elephant, that specializes in preserving and reproducing vintage cards, books, and posters. When they are able to identify the date and/or illustrator they will credit it on the reverse of the card. Unfortunately, this particular illustration did not have the name of the artist included nor the date. Since this is the Thursday before Easter, I thought I would share the card even if not much information about it is available.
Rabbits and eggs are frequent symbols used on Easter greetings. Easter rabbits, bunnies or hares sometimes dressed in clothes and bringing Easter eggs, originated among German Lutherans where the Easter Hare played the role of judging whether children were good or disobedient. Part of the legend has the rabbit carrying colored eggs, candy, and sometimes toys in its basket and giving these items to the children who had been good. A role similar to that of Santa Claus at Christmastime. The egg symbolized the tomb of Jesus and the resurrection. Also, on this card are Forget-me-nots, the tiny blue flowers in the foreground. These flowers are not typically associated with Easter but are a remembrance of those loved ones who have passed away.
The rabbits on this card are decorating a giant egg which in turn reminded me of the beautifully decorated eggs made in Croatia, Poland and Ukraine. The intricate designs and colors on those decorated eggs originated in pagan times and later transitioned to the Christian Easter egg. The process is called pisanica (Croatia), pisanka (Poland), and pysankarstvo or pysanky (Ukraine), meaning "writing" since a stylus is used to alternately apply wax-resist and dyes to color the eggs.
There are a number of design patterns available online providing directions on how to create the decorations. The designs are primarily associated with blessings, good wishes, and spiritual meanings and include things such as, plant life, animals, symbols, Christian symbols, and a specific design. One specific design is called a 40-triangle egg which depicts the concept of fullness of life. Bands around the eggs called Eternity bands, symbolize the cycles of life and existence. Colors are used to represent purity (white), wisdom (yellow), happiness (red), sky, health and peace (blue), Spring, renewal and fertility (green), and darkness and death (black).
Traditional Ukrainian folk designs on Easter eggs [image from: Wikipedia]
For additional information, see:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egg_decorating_in_Slavic_culture#
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny
https://ukrainianeggcessories.com/pages/pysanky-printable-freebies
https://time.com/6166140/pysanka-ukraine-easter-egg-history/
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