Maiden’s Festive Costume
Bezvodnoe Village, Nizhny Novgorod District, Nizhny Novgorod Gubernia. 19th century
- Galloon, brocade, heavy silk, foil, chopped mother of pearl, colored glass, gold embroidery, velvet, beads, stringing, атлас
- Гр. Б-1623; В-2795; В-7386; В-8403; В-2589
Maiden’s Headband
Late 18th — early 19th century
Galloon, brocade, damask, foil, chopped mother of pearl, colored glass
Shirt
Damask, gold embroidery, galloon
Sarafan
Modern reconstruction
Dushegreya
Velvet, gold embroidery, galloon
Necklace
Chopped mother of pearl stringing
Headscarf
Satin, gold embroidery
Colorful pink or crimson silk fabric of industrial make (usually damask with large shiny floral ornamentation) was often embroidered with gold threads.
Gold embroidery flourished primarily in convents and Old Believer sketes. Along with the creation of items of religious worship, seamstresses fulfilled expensive commissions from laypeople, adorning dushegreyas, shirts, kokoshniks and even footwear with gold embroidery. The needlework of the Arzamas and Balakhna Districts was especially noteworthy for its variety of techniques and ornamentation.