* MARY GOSTELOW, Embroidery of All Russia, Mills & Boon Ltd., 1977, ISBN 0 263 06103 5, 158pp., £5.95 (1997 cover price)

This book review is part of an ongoing Russian Archaeological Embroidery Annotated Bibliography useful to anyone researching Russian Archaeological Embroidery subject to interchangeable migration and transit of products, with its textile and embroidery fashions subject equally to the impact of geo-political changes.

As one of the few and rare Russian embroidery books written in English, I couldn’t help adding some extra information to the review to aid anyone interested in writing a critical review of the book.

The main information conveyed in this book is conformed to the following structure and raises the following comments on my part,

1. Historical background of peoples and locations predating Modern State formation and as much as centuries before Christ , for example identified Armenian as Indo-European pinpointing their migration to 7 B.C. Approaches Armenian Textile and Embroidery History based on artefacts corroborating historical findings of cultural religious connections with Europe through Christianity . I can confirm that archaeological findings in the last 40 years add other categories to this migratory period of history e.g. slavery.

2.Author used other forms of art to identify origin of embroidery and textiles from particular regions , e.g. " Much Azerbaijan embroidery does in fact have architectural connection .A quilted prayer rug tamboured in polychrome silks ( fig.10), worked in Shusha towards the end of the 18th century has a mihrab ( arch) decoration, as found in mosques all over the Islamic world. Five times a day, according to the creed of Mohammed, the believer kneel in prayer, the arch of his rug facing, as he does, towards Mecca”. If you are a researcher and would like to verify this point by the author , I suggest you making use of the primary sources available for Shusha embroidery via Azerbaijan Carpet Museum now holding a Shusha Branch as per directed by Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture . Azerbaijan Carpet Museum contact number is (+994)12-497-20-57; (+994) 12- 20 - 16 .          

3. Historical background and chronological topographic mapping of patronage and introduction of styles, motives and financing of arts and embroidery, e.g. Russian monarchy importation of ideas and trade routes that allowed importation of " raw materials and finished goods" in page 30.

4. Historical evolution of craftsmen studios, monastery studios and patronage schools of embroidery (14th -throughout 19h century). Corroborating the opposite of this point and of point 7 of this review, I would recommend the following book by Salmond, Wendy R. Arts and Crafts in Late Imperial Russia: Reviving the Kustar Art Industries, 1870-1917. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.  I call the attention for Dr Wendy Salmond research findings on Solomenko Embroidery Workshops and the embroidery revival at the Kustar Art Industries. The book can be accessed via Chapman University Digital Commons.

5. Archaeological Embroidery analysis of items exhibited in Russian expositions in London in the 1800s and 1900s.

6. Analysis of secondary sources to list changes in embroidery based on political changes e.g. Soviet Revolution.

7. The role of migration in preserving the domestic side of embroidery because there was political repression to embroidery as art form up to recent years: "The individual embroiderer continued to work, at home, but no public recognition of her art was accorded until a few years ago, when decorative arts were mounted with full  splendour in the State Russian Museum in Leningrad and in similar galleries." in page 38.

8. Religious History chapter: the author analyses the origins, evolutions and main changing factors and features of the Eastern Orthodox embroidery using as mains sources garments in Russia, Europe, and USA museums. Of notice is that the author refers that is common to find Religious embroidery in exiled Russian homes in the US.

9. Domestic Embroidery Chapter: The author names this type of work secular work as to opposed to Religious embroidery, and of decorative function of domestic home. She casts doubt that labels such as " Russian peasant embroider" are always appropriate once she noticed this applied to particular works at museums , when was visible that these works, in her own words " (...) bear irrefutable evidence that they were worked by talented ladies with an outlook wider than the generally implied by the word "peasant" " in page 58.

This statement by the author , without any valid scientifical explanation, truly caught me off guard as I was expecting her to follow the Russian Museum of Art school of thought founded in Vasili Stasov  historical findings that Russian Peasant embroidery had rules and strict traditional guidelines which often were part of a Religious ritual. For more vide ‘ Embroidery : An Ancient Language , by the Russian Museum of Art accessible online here. And also A. K. Ambroz (1967) On the Symbolism of Russian Peasant Embroidery of Archaic Type, Soviet Anthropology and Archaeology, 6:2, 22-37, DOI: 10.2753/AAE1061-1959060222

Something particularly good the author does, is that she observes the items and pinpoints embroidery techniques particular to different regions of the world with an estimation of how and when they were introduced into Russian domestic embroidery. The Ukrainian embroidery stitches and prevalence of red colour are also analysed in detail. Different sources either than the author point to equal prevalence of the colour black. I refer you to an article of the Encyclopaedia of Ukraine, vol. I (1984) available online here                

10. Embroidered Costume. The author lists the Russian provinces general details about regionalised costumes and the important historical fact that presently most of the costumes are machine-embroidered (tamboured machine inclusive). Would be relevant for researchers to juxtapose this finding with today’s revival of handcrafted embroidery brought as a group activity by local community centres and Facebook groups , not only sew-along but also groups of crafters following each other and having a large social following and virtual ‘apprentices’.

11. Using Cultural Anthropology interdisciplinary, the author expands on generational inherited costume art as wedding dresses, singles out unique cultural details of  the male Russian costumes and lists western locations and venues where items she exemplified can be viewed by the American and European public. Considering that at the time of this book publication , 1977, the internet was not around, I will note that today most museums have their collections available online and the option of translating any website to the English Language is not longer dependent of the museum but of the individual in search of archaeological evidence.

In the last chapter, Design Today, the author expresses frustration over the lack of modern secondary sources - which she lists the ones available- and analyses general universal designs and designs particular to Russia as Baba " " the earth mother" ". Is quite unfortunate that the author faced difficulties of such nature and the researchers of today should be thankful that new resources are available abundantly and so is the need of more books of such nature in English for non-Russian language speakers.

The book is enriched with several pictures of embroidered items and charted designs that can be reproduced at home.

 

Ariane Brito

 

London, 20^th of July 2020