Sapotsky Pysanka is a Belarusian tradition of painting Easter eggs

The tradition has been preserved in the Golan village of Sapotkin, Grodno District, Grodno Region, Belarus

The Sapotsky tradition of painting Easter eggs is one of the most ancient types of folk painting, which have become part of the Eastercelebration, which is timed to the national spring holidays

Since 2016, it has been in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of the Republic of Belarus *(code 43BK000099, category B\*, decision of the Council of January 16, 2013 No. 199, resolution of the Council of Ministers of August 2, 2016 No. 607, section intangible historical and cultural values).* Belongs to category B (intangible historical and cultural values are restored (fixed) or may change over time)

Technology
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home-made tool - a "pin" or "pisak"
Easter eggs are rather complicated way of painting Easter eggs. Classically, patterns are made on a raw, empty egg with a help of hot wax using a "pin" ("pisak")

Traditionally, paint is prepared in advance, 1-2 months before Easter. The bark of oak, alder, cones or rusty iron is poured with boiling water. Put in a dark place for about a month to get a rich dark, almost black color

* a special home-made tool - "pin" ("pisak") - a stick with a nail driven into the end
* beeswax
* natural dye of black-brown color with infusion of oak bark, alder, alder cones and rusty iron
* a candle

For painting is used:

Application of hot wax with a "pin" ("pisak)
On the day of egg painting, melted wax is made. A pin (pencil) is taken, heated by candlelight, dipped in melted wax (as in paint) and a pattern is applied to the egg. From time to time, dipping the pen into the wax, the surface of the egg is gradually covered with linear patterns of the same thickness. (You can mark the pattern on the egg with a pencil in advance)

The egg painted in this way is placed in cold paint, which paints only those areas that are not covered with wax. If the dye is natural, the eggs are left in the dye overnight

After removing the egg from the pot with paint, the applied wax melts over the candle light. The egg is wiped with a napkin, and as a result, light patterns are obtained against the background of the color of the paint

Aesthetics
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The Sapotsky Pisanka is usually made in monochrome, but you can also find colorful examples

For this, after creating the first pattern, the egg is dipped in cold paint (starting with the lightest paint), taken out, wiped with a napkin or cloth. A new pattern is made with wax and a pin ("pisak") and the egg is again dipped in another, darker paint. You can repeat this as many times as you want to add colors. At the end, the wax from the painted egg is carefully melted over the light of the candle. Gradually, the Easter egg is wiped with a napkin or cloth to get rid of the wax

Pattern "circle-rosette"
The most widespread and favorite motif of the Sapotsky masters is a rosette circle, which is located in the center of the egg, the free areas are filled with half rosettes, dots, chains. Often the centers of the rosettes are located at the end of the egg

Such a composition is determined by the peculiarities of the technology: the craftsman holds the egg by the ends with his thumb and forefinger and applies a pattern of droplets in a circle

The traditional drawing on eggs in Sapotskin is the application of ancient motifs: birds (chickens), flowers (daisies, snowdrops), spruce branches

Modern development
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The modern period of practice of traditional painting of Sapotsky Pysanka began with 3 masters: Antonina Yurchenja, Larisa Kasitskaya and Alena Lashevych. Mrs. Antonina inherited the tradition from her mother and passed it on to her students. In 2017, there were already 14 masters

The tradition is practiced both during a certain season and year-round through workshops and seminars, festivals, and group classes

Pysanka museums have been created in the town within the of the Sapotsky cultural and tourist center, which houses more than 1,500 exhibits. The collection was created by masters, local residents, friends of the museum and guests

Sources
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The tradition of painting Easter eggs

Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated August 2, 2016 No. 607 "On granting the status and categories of historical and cultural value, depriving the status of historical and cultural value and introducing changes and additions to some resolutions of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus"

A special painting of Easter eggs was preserved on the Belarusian border

Links
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The local tradition of painting Easter eggs in Sapotkin town on the website of the "Bank of information on the historical and cultural heritage of the Republic of Belarus"

A collection of articles about Sapotsky Pysanka and modern practices on the website of the Living heritage of Belarus: inventory of intangible cultural heritage

State list of historical and cultural values of the Republic of Belarus

Alena SEMYONAVA // "Belarus Today" Publishing House // Article about the craftsman, the history of the town, the museum "A special painting of Easter eggs has been preserved on the Belarusian border"