Originally Easter eggs were coloured red, which to our forefathers was a symbol of the rising sun.
Later, all possible colours were used for this purpose, and the eggs were adorned with coloured patterns, pictures and proverbs.
GIRL ENGRAVING EGGS.
Here and there, especially in Austria, this custom still obtains, and in many of the villages and districts may be found skilled “Egg Painters,” who supply artistically-ornamented eggs at Easter.
The number of these artists is rapidly decreasing, for in modern times people, specially in towns, prefer to present their friends with eggs of chocolate and sugar. In Moravia, among the German population in Iglau, the Easter egg still holds a very important place. Young and old present them one to the other, and young girls are allowed to give them to their sweethearts. A very interesting feature is that eggs are sent by those at home to their relatives in foreign lands. Great care is taken to have these beautifully painted or adorned with mottoes. There are skilful people in the surrounding district, who devote themselves to decorating and adorning with mottoes Easter eggs.
A PAINTED AND ENGRAVED GOOSE EGG.
Franz Paul Piger, who has lately written a very interesting paper on Easter eggs for the Austrian folk, says that “the art of decorating Easter eggs is not so simple as one might think.” The artist first colours the egg yellow with the bark of apple trees which he has cooked in water; the part which is to remain yellow he covers with fine layers of wax, and then proceeds to cook it in water, with onion skins, which turns it red. This being done, he rubs the wax off and he has a yellow and red egg. Now he takes a sharp-pointed instrument and scratches his drawing on the egg-shell, which shines on the yellow or red ground in pure white. In this way he represents human figures, creatures and flowers.