THE TRADITIONAL JANYAQ

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ART HISTORY AND HERITAGE

THE TRADITIONAL JANYAQ

The traditional Janyag consists of very tiny and delicate knots made with a sewing needle and fine cotton thread. It had various styles, forms and compositions yet, it remained purely an Armenian signature. Some styles and needle-works had simple and common motifs which included for instance, bow type motifs, rosettes, leaf patterns and designs and rosettes in various forms and shapes. While other styles were very complex and complicated and included sophisticated patterns, illustrations, drawings, compositions, borders, complex margins, multiple crochet stitches, very advanced floral design and compositions, multiple fringes and rich needle-points fillings. The Armenian woman through her perseverance, exemplary patience, determination and constant training by and advice from her family gained an advanced level of learning, know-how, artistic creativity, ability to design very complex and sophisticated patterns, thus reaching a very high standard of workmanship and making a name for herself in the lace making business.

The knotted lace is know under a variety of names including Bebilla, Dandella, Armenian lace, and Nazareth lace. To your left, there is a detailed section taken from a Katchkar; a stone carved cross. Armenian artists and artisans were equally expert in fabric lace-making, delicate needle-work and hard basalt rocks and stone carving and sculpture. Their intricate art of lace design, carving and needle work is characterized by meticulous sense of details, intricate motifs, individualized and personal patterns design, a genuine patriotism and a religious fervor. For many centuries and through out the ages from the 9^th century B.C., to present, almost all Armenian women have done handwork: tatting, knitting, needle-lacing, crocheting and embroidery. Some of them, even done rug weaving. They have become experts in creating netlike ornamental knots, overcast cordonnets, multiple flower petals and leaves floral trims, complex “Guipere”, gold and silver thread bars, “Reticella” needlepoint motifs, crocheted ball fringes which one day will influence the Victorian style, the famous needle-run embroidery on a net, etc

THE EARLY CIRCULAR STYLE OF THE ARMENIAN JANYAQ

Originally, the Armenian needle-lace was done in circular shapes, oval forms or on long rectangular trimming strips. The circular style representing the circular shapes and forms was the most popular one among Armenian women. It consisted of various circular forms, geometrical patterns with sun rays and different shapes and sizes of Armenian crosses connected in a concentrically manner, like the one we see on our right. In the years to come, this style will gain ground and popularity in Spain, Italy, Portugal and almost all Asia Minor and the Middle East where it was referred to as “Tatreez Armini”. This very particular Armenian style became the favorite choice of Near and Middle Eastern women. A very large number of homes in that part of the world had a good size set of the Tatreez Armini. It was used everywhere as an ornamental art, a decorative item as well as a principal part of Middle Eastern women gowns and dresses patterns. This style expanded its creativity to include elaborate floral designs which were very limited at the early stage of Armenian lace-making style. For instance, the lace-making and broidery schools of Marash, Van and later, those of Tbilisi, Konya, Adana, Izmir, Kamishli and Antioch incorporated very unique motifs and illustrations such as doves, birds, roosters, pigeons, fish, multiple layers of roses, lilies, carnations, wild flowers, tulips, cyclamen and wild roses not even know in on the Armenian plateau.