Tuesday, December 29, 2009

31.10-29.12.09 Kizhi Beaded Butterfly Earrings

I see in these Russian Kizhi Butterfly Earrings, inspired from 18th-19th centuries Russian Earrings, an Homage to my dear virtual friend Svetlana Eltsova, for being a constant source of inspiration to me. Again THANK YOU Svetlana!
Following the Kizhi Narcis pendant I was very eager to try making some earrings, this time - such ones that can suit me as well.
I found through Svetlana's post such inspiring pictures and links that I couldn't resist trying the butterfly earrings, or in Russian "Серьги-бабочки из бисера" if I didn't do a stupid mistake.
I spent Hrs of work with these tiny French Red Brick 18/0 vintage seed beads. After several trials and errors, choosing what would be the best technique and the best seed beads size, trying to get as closer as can be to the original, without having a live "specimen" to consider while working, but only pictures, I finished with a reproduction as the composition seen above, based on several variations (you will see in the pictures below), though it came out like a spider web (to Omer it reminds an Aristolochia flower). The dominent version is from the black & white Museum photos. I wonder how close it is to the original ones. I wish I could see them in live.
Nowadays, as far as I can see/understand, the Kizhi butterfly earrings are done with some metal findings, maybe Fliz, and 11/0 white seed beads. I used a wooden bead for the "body", because I don't have this kind of metal special beads.

From here on, you can see some pictures collected of the Butterfly Earrings from the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia, (some of them which already appear in Svetlana's post about it) from this link:

and this one:

Unfortunately, I can't remember where is the following picture taken from. My apologies.

The following pictures are taken from the Kizhi State Open Air Museum of History, Architecture and Ethnography:

Серьга-бабочка КП-72/2а
Серьга - бабочка КП-187/49а
Серьга - бабочка КП-1734/а
Серьга - бабочка КП-1661/б
The two pictures below are taken from the Kizhi State Open Air Museum:

Look how beautiful is this Kizhi young woman!
Maybe I should try a new pair with the 11/0 seed beads, in a different color and a pattern closer to the Kizhi Woman nowadays. Anyone encountered their secret somewhere? I see they also use metal findings, but do they sell anywhere the pattern?

Last, have a look on Julia's beadwork creations of those butterfly reproductions and other earrings reproduction from the same period.

3 comments:

tita said...

Maravillosos!!!!

Anonymous said...

Oh and Ah, Judith!!!!

The earrings are very very nice!
Yes, You have done it!
Super!
My best congratulations to You!
Svetlana

Dulcey said...

Beautiful! Now I want to try some too!