POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

Notes

The apron, or podia, is traditionally one of the most highly decorated components of Greek women's dress, especially the aprons which are made for ceremonial and festive wear. The designs of the aprons vary from region to region, with different shapes, colours and decoration reflecting the wearer's place of origin, as well as her age and social standing. In addition to these social attributes, the motifs on Greek women's aprons also have religious and magical significance. This apron is trapezoidal in shape, a form worn by women from Karditsa in Thessaly. The people from Karditsa are known as Karagounoi, and this apron is part of the very ornate costume worn by the women when they dance the Karagouna dance. The large triangular decorative motifs are based on stylised vegetation, and are very characteristic of the work of embroiderers in the Balkan regions of eastern Europe. They reflect the strength and influence of the Ottoman legacy throughout the region. The vast majority of garments worn in the Balkan areas show strong Turkish or Ottoman influence, and those made for special occasions are very often decorated with this type of gold-wrapped thread embroidery. Gold thread embroidery flourished in Greece during the 18th century. Whereas silk embroidery was the province of women and the domestic arena, metal thread embroidery was done by men, and its importance in social terms brought prestige to the practitioners. Thousands of men followed the trade of 'terzis', tailor and embroiderer, and their guild was one of the wealthiest and most prestigious of the time. These embroiderers, or tersides, travelled throughout the country, embroidering dress according to the local customs and style. Gold or silver thread was first twisted into thin cords. The design for the embroidery was then traced on paper, and the paper pinned to the face of the material. Following the outlines of the pattern, the embroiderer would couch the cord onto the cloth with fine thread. When the embroidery was finished, the paper was removed leaving the gold cords spiralling across the face of the cloth, with small couching stitches only on the reverse. The apron was certainly made before 1960. As it takes a traditional form, it is difficult to be certain of the date, but its condition and the medium quality of the embroidery suggest an early to mid 20th century date of manufacture.