0
Cześć! Have you ever heard of Zalipie – the most colourful Polish village?
4 years agoThis week I have another news for you from the Polski Daily website! If you’re interested in learning more about Polish language and culture, you can sign up for weekly newsletters here: polskidaily.eu!
Located on Powiśle Dąbrowskie Zalipie village is famous in Poland for it’s paintings. In fact that tradition to paint different ornaments on houses and farm buildings originates from the 19th century and was not only happening in Zalipie, but also in other villages in Powiśle region. This kind of folklore ornamentation has its roots in the times of „smoke houses”.These kind of buildings did not have chimneys, and smoke from the fireplace was going out of the house through the whole in the roof. Because of that the walls were all smoky. To brighten the rooms, women would paint white dots on the walls with lime and they’d name them „paćki”.
When fireplaces with chimneys became common, these “paćki” started to be painted on them. With time, those white dots were changed to flowers, and then they started “growing” from the chimneys to walls, ceilings and even went outside – to the outside walls of the houses and the farm buildings, and even to the road signs and wayside shrines, to the wells, fences, table settings, pots, pans…
After the II World War, folklore art was going through a renaissance. In the countryside there were many championships for the ornamented houses and other paper cut – painting works, what brought popularity of this form of art. Thanks to the very talented painter Felicja Curyłowa of Zalipie, it was this very village that became the centre of folklore painting. She was promoting Zalipie in the country and abroad, one of her jobs was picking the houses for the championships and competitions!
Cheers!
Dominika
