Traditions and technique of artistic embroidery in Georgia

Abstract

Artistic embroidery is one of the most interesting types of arts and crafts in Georgia. Its exquisite samples are presented in the collections of various museums of the country: the National Museum of Georgia, the Museum of Arts, the Museum of Georgian Theatre, Music, Cinema and Choreography, Folk and Decorative and Applied Arts. These embroidery patterns clearly reflect the origin and development of artistic embroidery in Georgia, its centuries-old history, and its importance for studying the history of the country’s culture. In Georgia, embroidery was mainly considered a women’s craft. Its possession was mandatory for almost every woman. Embroidery centers were mainly located near the churches-monasteries and at the palaces of the nobility. In this regard, the study of embroidery showed that the process of its creation was determined by a number of factors: fabric (linen, silk, cotton, velvet); Color is defined by canonical color symbols; its purpose (for household, household needs or for church services), etc.; The process of starting embroidery is primarily associated with the «hoop». It is an embroidery machine in the form of a double ring or a square frame, on which an already lined fabric is stretched and then embroidery begins. Embroidery was carried out with different materials: silk, cotton, woolen threads, gold and silver and silver threads. All these materials require certain techniques, which our ancestors impeccably mastered. The presence of various embroidery techniques also gives versatility to embroidery, and Georgian artistic embroidery is rich in this. The material preserved in many museums in Georgia allows us to say that Georgian artistic embroidery has a long history. The treasure that the Handicraft ladies left us is important for modern masters in terms of developing new ideas and innovations.