White embroidered valances of the 18th and early 19th centuries are elegant pieces of fabric up to 2 meters long and 50–70 cm wide. They decorated the wedding bed and were part of the bride’s dowry. Of particular interest is the presented 18th-century valance from the Olonets Governorate with the plot of the tale “Seven Simeons”, which was known from popular prints in the 18th century and had several different oral versions.
Once upon a time, the tsar found out that seven brothers lived in his state — Simeons-from-the-same-belly — and each had his own famous talent. The king summoned them and asked what they could do. The first said that he could trade expensive goods in different lands; the second — that he was a good archer; the third — that he could forge an iron pillar 20 fathoms high; the fourth — that he could climb up a pillar and see what was happening in the world; the fifth — that he could make a perfect ship that would sail the sea; the sixth — that he could dive with this ship under water. And the seventh Simeon turned out to be a thief. One of the Simeons climbed onto a high pillar and saw that there was princess Elena the Beautiful in a distant state, and the tsar ordered the Simeons to go after her. One of the brothers built a ship, and they sailed. The youngest thief took a strange Siberian cat with him and led him to the square in front of the princess’s windows. Using the cat and his cunning, he lured the princess to the ship. As soon as the brothers sailed from the shore, the princess turned into a white swan and flew from the ship. But Simeon the Archer shot at her, and the swan fell and turned back into a princess. However, she did not marry the king — she chose the youngest Simeon the Thief.
The main episodes of the fairy tale unfold along the entire length of the canvas in a frieze. Here is the king’s tower, and a ship built by one of the brothers, rushing across the stormy sea, which is indicated by a figure with a crown on his head and with a trident in his hands, and the brave Simeon the Archer, shooting at the escaping swan princess, also represented by a fabulous Pava bird surrounded by other birds.
The ornamental form of the story is manifested in the rhythm of the silhouettes against an openwork background, in the richness of textured surfaces, and in the balance of the parts.
Once upon a time, the tsar found out that seven brothers lived in his state — Simeons-from-the-same-belly — and each had his own famous talent. The king summoned them and asked what they could do. The first said that he could trade expensive goods in different lands; the second — that he was a good archer; the third — that he could forge an iron pillar 20 fathoms high; the fourth — that he could climb up a pillar and see what was happening in the world; the fifth — that he could make a perfect ship that would sail the sea; the sixth — that he could dive with this ship under water. And the seventh Simeon turned out to be a thief. One of the Simeons climbed onto a high pillar and saw that there was princess Elena the Beautiful in a distant state, and the tsar ordered the Simeons to go after her. One of the brothers built a ship, and they sailed. The youngest thief took a strange Siberian cat with him and led him to the square in front of the princess’s windows. Using the cat and his cunning, he lured the princess to the ship. As soon as the brothers sailed from the shore, the princess turned into a white swan and flew from the ship. But Simeon the Archer shot at her, and the swan fell and turned back into a princess. However, she did not marry the king — she chose the youngest Simeon the Thief.
The main episodes of the fairy tale unfold along the entire length of the canvas in a frieze. Here is the king’s tower, and a ship built by one of the brothers, rushing across the stormy sea, which is indicated by a figure with a crown on his head and with a trident in his hands, and the brave Simeon the Archer, shooting at the escaping swan princess, also represented by a fabulous Pava bird surrounded by other birds.
The ornamental form of the story is manifested in the rhythm of the silhouettes against an openwork background, in the richness of textured surfaces, and in the balance of the parts.
