It started in the 1800s where the inhabitants installed furnaces along with smoky chimneys in a little village of Zalipie, Poland. It was a rather ghastly sight because it blackened the walls, and consequently, the women of the town painted flowers all over the buildings to cover the smudge made by the smoke.
Now, Zalipe continued to paint much of the village's homes, churches, and schools with colorful flower bouquets 200 years ago. The village became one of the prominent tourist spots of Poland because of its interesting sights.
In the 1800s, there were no brushes or paint the women can get hold to. According to Unusual Places, the women never lacked creativity in them as "they manufactured the brushes themselves, using hair from the tails of their cows. As or the paint itself, women used fat from the dumplings they made."
Not only had they painted the exteriors of the buildings, but on chicken coops, dog houses, and their stoves as well. These women painted their walls regularly as black smokes continued to blotch the walls.
When modern cooking and heating equipment came, everybody thought the paintings would disappear. However, it persisted, and the floral strokes and techniques became more elaborate and sophisticated as the women had access to paint and brushes finally.
The paintings continued and grew more popular each year inviting locals and nearby neighbor towns to join them. An annual art competition is being held in spring after the Feast of the Corpus Christi, and even the men now can enter the contest. Though, it is still predominantly joined by women artists.
The most famous landmark in Zalipie is the Farm Felicia Curyłowa to honor the woman who retained and developed the tradition of flower painting in the village. After her death, her house was elevated to the status of the museum and became one of the prime destinations for art workshops in Poland.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
