Pisanki (singular pisanka) are an art form dating to before Christianity came to Europe. Originally used to in pagan celebrations to bless fields and livestock with fertility in the spring, the symbols used in the designs took on new meaning as people used them to tell the story of Jesus Christ and the resurrection.
The cross-hatch pattern indicated a fishing net, commemorating the disciples who were fishermen, and the promise that Jesus made, to make them "fishers of men."
I love using lilies on the eggs: "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:28-33)
Another prominent theme on pisanki is the star of Bethlehem. Quilters will recognize a typical star pattern, which looks like the lower of the two cards pictured here. Here are a few variations on two different eggs.
This is one of my favorites, with its cheerful patches of bright red. The little yellow dots and tear-shapes represent seeds. There are many biblical references to wheat (the Bread of Life) and seeds (wheat and tares, the mustard seed, etc.) In the parable of the wheat and tares, Jesus compares himself to the sower, and the wheat seeds represent the people of God.The little "fringe" around the design can be seen as rake marks. In pagan times, a rake or rake marks would simply represent fertility in the soil; however, in the Christian era, we think of the parable of the four soils: the hard packed soil in which the word of God (the good seed) can not grow, the rocky soil in which it springs up quickly and soon withers for lack of root, the weedy patch where it is choked by cares of the world, and finally, the good soil where it grows deep and produces much fruit.
The curly-queues represent either a shepherd's staff ("Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me") or they can symbolize ram's horns, representing Jesus as the Lamb of God.
Here are two more variations of the Star of Bethlehem, together with bands of lilies.Wavy lines in blue would represent water--the crossing of the Red Sea, or the waters of baptism, or occasionally in modern times, the separations of families where the younger generation crossed the Atlantic for a new life in America. However, in red, yellow or orange, the same lines can represent the fire of the Holy Spirit, given to the disciples at Pentecost, and to all believers upon their conversion.
Below, three views of the same egg. This one shows barley seed, flowers (representing the beauty of God's creation,) and rams horns.
This little egg was fun to do--it was almost spherical, so I gave it a pattern well suited to such a round egg. The little red chicken feet, in pagan times would represent---a chicken. Who would've guessed? It's pretty much the same now. So here on this egg, you can see many of the symbols described above, as well as others.
Triangles are for the Trinity--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
The band in the second picture, or any line going all the way around the egg, represents eternity.
The egg itself, represents the tomb of Christ. When you make a pisanka, the final step is to puncture the eggshell and blow or pump out the raw egg, leaving the shell empty. Just so, when Jesus' friends came to the tomb to change the linens on his body on Sunday morning, they found the tomb empty, for He had risen.Alleluja! Happy Easter to one and all.
These are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I had fun making them.
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