Page:Guide to the Bohemian section and to the Kingdom of Bohemia - 1906.djvu/124

100 a stranger unacquainted with our geography, into the characteristics distinguishing the ornaments of needlework and the dress of the several districts, but those who take an interest in the old originals, by an examination of the selected exhibits will be amply rewarded.

Here, the innate liking for decorative display, concentrates its aims principally on the head-gear, hence the endless variety of caps and coifs as well as of scarves and kerchiefs. It will be observed that the chemises of the women, have either broad collars with rich embroidery, or a broad ornament in the middle of the sleeves. The aprons in some districts are blue with a garland of many coloured blossoms as a border. In other parts they wear black with blue embroidery, or in some cases with an insertion of open work and a coloured ornament. Even the men,—especially the youthful swains, indulge in many bright ornaments on their dress, the breast of the shirt, waist-coat and breeches, and even sometimes the mantle thrown in graceful folds round the shoulder are ornamented with a fine display of lacing and embroidery. The same fondness for ornamentation is exhibited even in work in bed curtains of unbleached linen, and the white coverings with yellow embroidery worn by women on the occasion of churching.

In the south of Moravia, everything is decorated with work of floral designs, not only the dress, but the walls of the dwellings, the furniture, mugs, dishes and plates and of course the Easter eggs!

Whoewer regards the exhibited specimens of Bohemian needle-work, involuntarily asks himself, „Who made these nimble miracles of art and taste?“ Those who wear them, themselves make or made them. When the country people ceased to wear their national dress, some of the workers who formerly had supplied only the requirements of their neighbours, began to work for a larger circle of customers. The people’s art developed into an important home-industry. This was the case of the lace workers, their laces were originally made for local use to adorn caps, coifs, kerchiefs etc. of the village people, but when times changed, pedlars trading amongst the people, carried their work to the distant towns and villages. These