The Romanian blouse, the queen of Dolj

The Romanian blouse, the queen of Dolj


We have always kept our traditions alive, so that we can tell people who we are and even show them. It is our duty not to let the beauties disappear, and the Oltenian blouse, our dear clothing, is one of the things we do not want to lose.

”For the evenings to shine
We gave them the Oltenian blouse”

So says, simply and beautifully, one of the most famous ode of the Oltenian people, arranged in lyrics by Virgil Carianopol and put on music by the master Tudor Gheorghe.

The Oltenian blouse was our witness through all the changes that Oltenia passed through and carried us, with its symbols and fabrics, through all the burdens, but also the joys. One of the purest and most beautiful legacies has been made a treasure in our area, and this is not surprising.

The blouse of the Oltenians has decorations like branches that start from an axis called a „cosoi”. It is outstanding not only because it is ours, but because it is one of the most beautiful in all of Romania. If you do not have such a blouse, it’s really a pitty, but that does not mean that you cannot enjoy its beauty, just seeing it and not necessarily wearing it.

The Oltenia Museum, through the Ethnography Section/ Casa Băniei, is house to the traditional clothing in the area, and with one visit here you can see all that is beautiful in the Oltenian clothes. Casa Băniei is opened Tuesday-Sunday, between 9 AM and 5 PM.

As the specialists say, the port of Oltenia is one of the most complex areas of popular art.

Oltenia Museum - The fabric and decoration of the popular port

(And, if you come to the Museum and want to know more about us, don't forget about the exhibition "Traditional Occupations From Oltenia - In Document Photos", which can be visited until the end of November).

The Romanian blouse went beyond its own borders, especially when Henri Matisse, one of the main initiators of modern art, chose to carry out the work "La blouse roumaine". It was also represented by the painter Constantin Daniel Rosenthal, who painted Maria Rosetti in a beautiful work. Perhaps the most important ambassador of the Romanian blouse at a particular time, was Queen Mary of Romania herself, who is well known to have loved our country, including the traditional clothing.

Craiova and Dolj do not give up on continuing to promote what is beautiful, so that, annually, "Craiova gets dressed in the Romanian blouse". All the ladies and girls wear the most beautiful clothes of this kind and go for a walk on the street, in a celebration of beauty and non-oblivion. And the world sees, learns and carries on. Exactly as our ancestors did, generation after generation, bringing us where we are and raising us to appreciate what is to be appreciated.

Photo: eurocles.com, wikipedia.com, magnumphotos.com

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