Embroidery of the Cossack Elite of the 17-18 Centuries

This catalog offers a large collection of embroidered pieces (over 300 examples) that were popular among the highest echelons of Ukrainian society in the 17th and 18th centuries. Embroidery with plant ornamentation was especially popular at that time; it was done on objects that were used daily by the Cossack elite: sheets, pillowcases, tablecloths, towels, and clothes. The introductory essay explains the significance of the colors and the most common ornamental patters, while the chronological sequence of the images allows one to follow the evolution of ornaments over a hundred years. The collection from the V. Tarnovsky Chernihiv History Museum comprises the foundation of this album.