DOI Heft:
No. 311 (February 1919)
DOI Artikel:Cooper, Winifred: Peasant life in central Russia
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21357#0034
Peasant Life in Central Russia
be at a safe distance from the houses, to mini- rhythmically to their repeated movements,
mize the risk of fire. Even so, fires are frequent Some of the women wear the older, more beauti-
in the summer, when the careless lighting of a ful dress distinctive of this district—full dark
cigarette may involve the destruction of a whole blue skirts of home-woven wool checkered with
village. red stripes, heavily banded with gold at the
The villagers themselves are extraordinarily hem, worn low on the hips over the thick linen
attractive, and their natural beauty is enhanced embroidered shirts. Brilliant kerchiefs protect
by the brilliance of their clothing. When they their heads from the sun.
are at work, the fields are a riot of vivid colour. In summer the peasant's working day is a
It is harvest-time perhaps, and the sun blazes long one, lasting from dawn till sunset. But
on the yellow rye. The man reaping with a they love the harvest and threshing seasons,
scythe wears a Russian shirt of red or blue The land the}7 work on is their own, and
cotton or of pale homespun linen and loose that. makes the work light. In the long
cotton trousers tucked into high boots. He is winter it is hard to remember the laughing
shaggy and bearded, good-tempered and un- harvest-fields. The earth disappears for about
communicative. Behind him, chattering and five months under an immeasurable expanse of
laughing as they gather the grain into sheaves, snow, and the frosts are intense. But Vania
come the women, gay in scarlet sarafans, which, wears his sheepskin coat, pulls a shaggy fur
pulled up through girdles tightly bound round cap well over his ears, thrusts his hands into
the hips, have a line of classical beauty. Their thick fingerless gloves, and his feet into high
linen shirts are richly embroidered ; coloured felt boots, and thus equipped can defy all the
aprons, fastened above the bosom, wave rigours of the climate. The coat, gloves, and
' WOMEN WEAVING STRAW ROPES WATER-COLOUR SKETCH BY WINIFRED COOPER
18
be at a safe distance from the houses, to mini- rhythmically to their repeated movements,
mize the risk of fire. Even so, fires are frequent Some of the women wear the older, more beauti-
in the summer, when the careless lighting of a ful dress distinctive of this district—full dark
cigarette may involve the destruction of a whole blue skirts of home-woven wool checkered with
village. red stripes, heavily banded with gold at the
The villagers themselves are extraordinarily hem, worn low on the hips over the thick linen
attractive, and their natural beauty is enhanced embroidered shirts. Brilliant kerchiefs protect
by the brilliance of their clothing. When they their heads from the sun.
are at work, the fields are a riot of vivid colour. In summer the peasant's working day is a
It is harvest-time perhaps, and the sun blazes long one, lasting from dawn till sunset. But
on the yellow rye. The man reaping with a they love the harvest and threshing seasons,
scythe wears a Russian shirt of red or blue The land the}7 work on is their own, and
cotton or of pale homespun linen and loose that. makes the work light. In the long
cotton trousers tucked into high boots. He is winter it is hard to remember the laughing
shaggy and bearded, good-tempered and un- harvest-fields. The earth disappears for about
communicative. Behind him, chattering and five months under an immeasurable expanse of
laughing as they gather the grain into sheaves, snow, and the frosts are intense. But Vania
come the women, gay in scarlet sarafans, which, wears his sheepskin coat, pulls a shaggy fur
pulled up through girdles tightly bound round cap well over his ears, thrusts his hands into
the hips, have a line of classical beauty. Their thick fingerless gloves, and his feet into high
linen shirts are richly embroidered ; coloured felt boots, and thus equipped can defy all the
aprons, fastened above the bosom, wave rigours of the climate. The coat, gloves, and
' WOMEN WEAVING STRAW ROPES WATER-COLOUR SKETCH BY WINIFRED COOPER
18