Each village which produces art has its unique style and most of what we know as Russian Decorative Art has a distinct flavor all its own. Mostly from small villages around Moscow, today they are known as suburbs and these Russian artists are 'Master artists'. They create hand painted trays, and miniature boxes from towns and villages such as Zhostovo, Palekh, Fedoskino, Kholui, and Mstera. The four villages of Fedoskino, Palekh, Kholui, and Mstera are most known all around the world for their painted lacquer miniatures.

Russian artists study and train for several years before they can become members of their village's art community. Schools have been created in these villages and the artist has to train for four or more years be be recognized.

Where is the village of Zhostovo?

Zhostovo is a small village located just 15 km outside the busy city of Moscow, Russia. Here lies one of the most important art centers of the Russian Decorative Art world. Here we find the lacquered trays painted with flowers. During the nineteenth century, the art form we know of today as Zhostovo painting began to develop and take shape, evolving into the sophisticated discipline it is today.

The artwork was influenced by the Rococo period, and the artistic developments from other European center. Art in Zhostovo began when local craftsmen began to decorate items made of lacquered papier mache. The first workshops were opened around the early eighteen hundreds and the small cottage industries began producing all kinds of useful containers, like snuff boxes and other decorative articles used for display in the home.

These early articles were often decorated with motifs such as flowers, genre scenes and small landscapes. These became very popular but were also labor intensive as the paper mache was hand made by the artisans. The first workshop that specialized in tray painting was owned by the 'Vehnyakov Brothers'

Supply and demand soon forced new developments and the trays were then made from hand tooled tin metal. These were easier to make and less expensive to produce, and these trays were found in taverns and restaurants, and became widely used for practical purposes in service industries. The art form spread to neighboring towns and villages and was found in Sorokino, Ostashkovo, Khlebnikovo and Troitskoe. However it is only Zhostovo which retains the art form today.

The artisans decorate these metal trays with all styles of flowers painted in a somewhat realistic yet stylistic manner. Bunches of flowers, especially large roses and fruit were some of the most popular motifs used.

The art of Zhostovo is a combination of realistic floral painting and simple Folk Art influences as well, many of the earlier Zhostovo artists found inspiration from the fourteenth century artistic themes. Today the art form has evolved into a more sophisticated style, with contemporary Zhostovo artists preserving the historical elements and at the same time adding a more modern twist to the designs through color and content. In the example featured below, The Russian master Zhostovo artist, Tatiana Sholokovo chooses to leave greater negative space between her central design and the outer floral border.

Design elements and motifs...

It is not unusual to see combinations of lovely flowers, fruit and birds and grasses, and landscapes teamed with intricate floral or stroke borders painted in gold. Backgrounds are usually dark, such as black, deep blue, red or green, and at times the occasion lighter off white or softer pastels can be used as well. One can also find mother of pearl and metallic backgrounds as well as faux finishes that resemble tortoise shell, these patterns are usually created with an age old technique called 'smoking'.

The example above shows softer colors, this is more of a contemporary choice, as the flowers are often painted in bright or very intense hues, and leaves and filler flowers add complexity and details to the designs. Most Zhostovo designs are framed with a border of some kind and these borders are combinations of strokes and line work as well as dots and other details. At times, contemporary Zhostovo artists will divert from the traditional intricate gold strokework border, and will create new styled borders that are made from detailed flowers and leaves. This style of border, frames the artwork, yet becomes an extension of the central design elements.

Many Zhostovo artists carry on from older family dynasties where the craft has been carried on for generations. The Russian Government has recognized the important role that the art form has played in the Russian culture and it has been included into the state index of the most valuable objects of culture in the Russian Federation.

The art of lacquer painting has been around for over a thousand years. The method, which has been found in many cultures, made its earliest appearances in China, Japan and the ancient country 'Persia'. Countries such as Vietnam are also known for its lacquer work.

Lacquer is made from a sap that flows from the lacquer tree. These trees which are native to South East Asia produce a sap, similar to the rubber tree. The sap is harvested by cutting the tree and allowing the sap to bleed out. It is then collected, and processed and made into the lacquer that is applied like a varnish. There is quite a process involved in collecting and processing the lacquer, and it does come with certain health issues. It can cause skin irritations and the fumes can be harmful. When applied, the lacquer creates great depth to the painting.

In the sixteenth century oriental styled lacquer painting made its way from the orient to Europe and then eventually to countries like Russia. There it found a warm reception and became a popular art form amongst the gentry and high society.

Mystera, the style and traditions... continue

to be continued...

Somewhere between 1920 -1933 the Palekh School of lacquer miniatures was formed. The rich working traditions from other areas helped create a format for the development of this art form through the founding of a school.

Surface and paints...

This art form was painted on papier mache and lacquer surfaces. One of the differences between this art form and that of Fedoskino, is that while Fedoskino was painted with traditional oil paints, Palekh is painted with traditional Tempera paints. The artist would mix their own paint from raw powdered pigments mixed with the yolk of a chicken's egg. Tempera is one of the oldest types of media used, and can be traced back to the illuminated manuscripts and beyond.

Even today, Palekh artists mix their own paint, using a mortar, they carefully grind and mix to the right consistency. One batch of mixed Tempera paint will generally last one week, and at the end of each painting day, the paints can be placed into a protective box and placed into the freezer until the next day of painting. By the end of the week the tempera paints begin to have an unpleasant odor (due to the eggs) and at that time, the paint is discarded and replaced with fresh paint.

to be continued...