How an umbrella, a symbol of power and greatness, became an accessory that saves you from the rain

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Hiding under the canopy of an umbrella from the rain, many have never thought about its history. You will be very surprised to learn that this accessory appeared more than three thousand years ago. About the purpose of the umbrella in prehistoric times, about what status the umbrella gave to its owner, why the French name of this accessory did not take root in Russia and about many other fascinating facts further, in the review.

The symbolism of the umbrella in ancient times

Several ancient civilizations - Egyptian, Chinese and Assyrian - immediately claim the status of the discoverers of the umbrella. For all that, initially the progenitor of the umbrella looked very unpretentious - a bunch of palm leaves or feathers attached to a long stick. However, over time, this design turned into a symbolic and status thing. The more notable the person who had it was, the more impressive the umbrella was in size and decoration.

For example, among the titles of the ruler of Burma, it was necessarily mentioned that he was the “Lord of the Big Umbrella”, and the ruler of Siam declared himself as the “Lord of the 24 umbrellas”. They made up a whole dome, reminiscent of the roof of an oriental pagoda, adorned with jewels and gold embroidery.

Only pharaohs, emperors and their entourage had the right to use umbrellas, which were up to one and a half meters high and weighed up to 2 kilograms. The cane and knitting needles were made of bamboo, and the cloth was made of thick paper impregnated with a special solution or palm leaves and bird feathers.

We owe the kind of rain accessory we use today to the Chinese, since it was they who invented the folding umbrella made of rice paper stretched over a wooden frame in the 20s of our era.

A little later, umbrellas became popular in India, where they determined the degree of wealth. The richer a man was, the more umbrellas his retinue carried behind him. In Tibet, a special place was occupied by white or yellow umbrellas, symbolizing spiritual greatness. Peacock feather umbrellas symbolized secular power.

Over time, umbrellas from the East migrated to Europe. First to Ancient Greece and Rome, where they immediately became very popular. By the end of the 13th century, the umbrella has become a symbol of papal power, and since the 15th century, its image has been used on the personal coats of arms of the popes and on the coat of arms of the Roman Church, which emphasized the sovereignty of the popes.

In the 17th century, the umbrella became popular in Western Europe, and especially in France, as an accessory that protects from the scorching sun rays and was called "parasol", literally - "sun shield". French sun umbrellas were made of waxed linen and a bone handle. Thanks to the French, this piece has become a fashion accessory, embellished with ribbons and ruffles.

One of the first owners of designer umbrellas was Queen Marie Antoinette. It was a whalebone-knitting accessory weighing one and a half kilograms. Even a special staff position was introduced at her court - an honorary "umbrella-bearer".

At the beginning of the 18th century, it was in Paris that the first folding umbrella was designed, which was 30 centimeters long. Craftsmen in wood, bone, stone processing arranged competitions among themselves: who is the best to decorate the umbrella handle.

The mechanics also tried to contribute to the design of the umbrella,

About how an umbrella from the sun became an accessory for rain

In 1770, a radical revolution took place in the history of the umbrella thanks to the traveler and experimenter John Hanway, an Englishman who always carried it with him.

He replaced the elegant lace covering with a more practical and dense fabric and began to take constant walks in the London rain. Passers-by joked and laughed at him, although not for long: it soon became clear that such an invention was a real find for those who did not have their own crew.

However, in Europe, an umbrella, as an accessory from the rain, could not take root for a long time and displace the usual raincoats, which it was customary to wrap in bad weather. The Puritans, for example, believed that "hiding from the rain means violating the plans of God who brought it on the head of man."

The appearance of umbrellas in Russia

In Russia, umbrellas appeared only at the end of the 18th century - along with French fashion. And despite the fact that the umbrella came from France, the French version of its name - "parasol" - did not take root in Russia.

The word "zonnedek" was brought to Russia by Peter I from Holland, where, according to naval terminology, it meant "a canopy from the sun" used on ships. It is interesting that in Russian this "sondek" first turned into an "umbrella", and over time the ending was dropped and the word "umbrella" was obtained.

Thanks to the trendsetters, the umbrella, since the 18th century, has become an integral part of many portraits of women, painted by both Russian and foreign artists.

Throughout history, as soon as mankind has not tried to use this accessory. For example, in the United States in the middle of the 20th century, a women's umbrella was offered as a means of protection against attacks on the street: these umbrellas, after a simple push on the handle, released a cloud of tear gas towards the villain and at the same time turned on the siren.

And over the years, umbrellas continued to evolve and acquire new functions and features. However, no matter how they try to improve them, they remain to this day an indispensable defender from bad weather. And their story is not over yet.

Of great interest among fans of art and history is and painting by Auguste Renoir, dedicated to black, in which there is no black.