Friday, November 07, 2008
Latvian Patterns
A few days ago I received an extraordinary gift: the three-volume set of the definitive work on Latvian patterns entitled Latvju Raksti (Latvian Patterns).
Knowing about my interest in everything related to Latvian knitting and Latvian design in general, a friend of my mother's offered it to me. This amazing work of research was published by the Latvian National Publishing Office between the years 1924 and 1931, during the early years of independence.
This particular set is minus two of its title pages. A sad reminder of the time when Soviet domination of the country attempted to wipe out all Latvian cultural reminders. Books were among the first cultural artifacts singled out. Libraries were required to destroy or hand hand over all Latvian books, published in Latvian, by Latvian publishers. At home, individuals took the measure of tearing out title pages so that they could protect these precious reminders of who they were and where they came from.
In the case of Latvju Raksti, it was possible to argue this because the book was published in two languages, in Latvian--and French! The French title is Ornement Letton. It has since been reprinted in Paris in 1990, through the initiative of Latvian immigrants living in France.
Most of all, this work is an amazing treasure trove of knitting inspiration. It explores Latvian design in the applied arts: textiles, ceramics, jewellery, architecture, and traditional costumes.
Latvian mittens have long been recognized for their unique design. Worked using the Fair Isle technique, these finely crafted mittens are filled with decorative motifs that also carry important symbolic messages for those who know how to read them. Wishes for properity, fertility, bountiful crops, happiness and spiritual fulfilment are embedded in these ancient mythological characters.
Some are purely decorative with floral depictions, others more graphic and symbolic.
In Latvju Raksti, there are pages and pages and pages of these graphs, for knitting and also for weaving. As well-known as Latvian mittens are, it is really weaving that is the unique contribution of Latvian culture.
In these books there is enough visual nourishment for a lifetime.
