Wood and ceramic presents and russian painting in art store online
by: will787
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Gzhel is a place sixty kilometres from Moscow, famed as a place of natural beauty and as a seat of renowned pottery manufactures of six centuries’ standing. Known throughout the world, the word gzhel has ample undertones of beauty, harmony and a reality intermingled with magic. The festive blue-patterned porcelain and multi-colored delftware of Gzhel is loved by connoisseurs in all countries due to its makers’ exquisite taste, daring imagination and excellent craftsmanship.
The cradle and main contemporary center of Russian artistic pottery, Gzhel ceramic tableware gave its mother country the best achievements of this craft. Archaeological excavations prove that folk pottery thrived here even in the 14th century. Artistic craftsmen could not find a better place than this, with its luscious woods, crystal clear rivers and superb clay. " Nowhere did I see a clay whiter than this," exclaimed a medieval chronicler.
Originally khokhloma wood tableware were produced in monasteries and for the czar court only. At that time Khokhloma tableware production was not large scale. It was because of expensive imported tin. In 1720s after the end of the North War tin flow to Russian increased. The price went down and the material came within reach of many masters. The production and the sales of brightly painted hand made art works expanded.
Thus in the XIX century items with khokhloma painting were famous not only in Russia but in Persia, India, Middle East, the USA and Australia as well. The export of khokhloma items grew after the worldwide exhibition in 1889 in Paris.
In 1916 Nizhegorodskoye Zemstvo established the first School for Wood-Working Arts and Crafts in Semyonov. The folk arts and folklore flourished in Volga region near Nizhny Novgorod province. No other territory in Russia could equal it in the number and originality of the folk arts and crafts that had sprang to life and were developed in the local communities. The Khokhloma art painting on wooden tableware is the type of Nizhny Novgorod folk art craft that became most popular in Russia and foreign countries.
The "grass-leaves" decorative ornaments and their peculiar color scheme suggest that the Khokhloma art is rooted in the ancient Russian decorative culture while the imitation of gilt ornaments on wood dates back to the medieval Russian handicraft skills. The painting technique has been somewhat upgraded but remains essentially the same as in the ancient time.
Khokhloma russian painting amazes you with its delicate grass pattern and festive coloring, which is based on combination of scarlet cinnabar and flittering gold against the black lacquer background. This is Khokhloma specific feature. Masters used tin powder and lacquer to obtain such gold color. Now they use aluminum powder.
First, the art cookware are shaped on a lathe from the dried lime wood, which are turned into bowls, vases, mugs, dishes and spoons.
To achieve the gold effect on wood is far from simple. First, the unpainted articles are primed and coated with drying oil. Next they are polished with powdered aluminum (powdered tin and more rarely silver were used in the past). The 'silvered' wares are then painted with heat resistant Colours, varnished and fired in kilns. The heat turns the varnish yellow, the 'silver into 'gold' and mellows the vivid design with an even, golden tone'
The Khokhloma dishes, cups and wooden drink pots were used for serving food at holiday feasts. The wooden tableware using at the Moscow house of an important statesman had to look valuable; accordingly, they were modeled on the rich painted plates decorated with real golden fabricated by the jewelers for the luxurious homes of the Russian nobility. Thanks to the special varnish and high-temperature processing they are quite practical and safe in use. You can drink and eat using these Khokhloma tableware, because such wares not sensitive to cold and hot, salty and sour food.
Apart from Khokhloma art presents of tableware most visitors to Russia will have at least one set of Matrioshka dolls in their luggage. These dolls within dolls have long been a source of fascination. The undoing of the main doll to reveal others almost ad-in-finitem has always produced wonderment and appreciation for the woodcrafts art.
Examples of beautiful Khokhloma wood art presents, Paleh and Mstera lacquered miniatures you can look at art store online site. It is amazing that what started out as a true folk tradition over 300 years ago is still thriving and remains basically true to it's roots, albeit on a more organized scale.
About the Author
Will Nilson, Art News Department of Art shop online, 2007.
Online art gift shop suggest ceramic and wood present ideas for home and office decorations! Here you can view unique art collections of handcrafted wooden tableware and buy any liked wood art presents.
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