Timeless Treasures: Recently Acquired Folk Costumes and Textiles

On display for the first time, the exhibition features more than eighty exquisite textiles: twenty complete folk costumes from various regions of Ukraine, intricately woven wrap skirts, richly embroidered shirts and ritual cloths, elaborate headdresses, accessories, outerwear, and much more. 

The collection, purchased from private collector Ivan Bernatsky, reflects the ethnographic singularities of the mid-19th century to the first half of the 20th century. It is particularly notable in that it includes multiple examples of textiles from the major regions of Ukraine, enabling us to study not only regional variations but also the rich variety within specific regions. The six historic regions of Ukraine represented in this collection are: Bukovyna, Hutsul, Pokuttia, Polissia, Poltava, and Western Podillia.

The range of styles, colors, and component parts of the traditional costumes from one region to another will astonish the visitors to the exhibition. The effort required to produce the hand-made embroidered and woven goods was considerable. Indeed, almost all the textiles needed for both daily and festive folk dress were home-produced across all regions, as factory-made textiles were very rarely used before the 20th century. The regional differences and similarities are seen in the specialized styling, choices in colors, and consistency of regional motifs, as well as in the embroidery techniques, woven patterns, textures, ornamentation, and costume accessorization.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.