Khokloma Lace Trays Samovars

Golden Khokhloma

The North of the Nizhni Novgorod province is a beautiful land. The lush green of the flood plain meadows 'stretches along the low left bank of the Volga bordered with boundless dense forests. The forests extend to the Kostroma and Vyatka provinces and are crisscrossed with winding clear-water streams Linda, Uzola, Kerzhenets and the navigable Vetluga river, a major Volga tributary. Villages and small hamlets are hiding in the forests or lurking near the streams. The lands beyond the Volga made a major contribution to the Russian history, it is a country of many legends. This is the land that was ravaged by the invading Mongol hordes of Batu Khan passing through it on their conquest of Europe more than seven centuries back. This is where the lake Svetloyar is whose lear waters are still preserving the legendary town of 'Kitezh the citizens of which refused to surrender to the evil force and were redeemed by the Providence as the town was hidden on the bottom of the lake. The deep forests around the ancient town of Semenov gave shelter to the Old Believers hermits hiding from the persecution of the official Moscow Orthodox Church and preserving ancient Russian cultural customs that had gradually expired elsewhere in Russia. Another ancient town on the Volga is Gorodets, one of the major strongholds of the Suzdal Principality of medieval Russia which grew to become a major Volga navigation hub and a center of crafts and trading. The Makariev Zheltovodskii (Yellow Water) Monastery on the Volga downstream from Gorodets for two centuries was the site of the "principal market-place of Russia", the famed Makariev Fair.

The folk arts and folklore flourished in the Trans-Volga area of the Nizhni 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. Even today in the villages beyond the Volga one can see wooden houses richly decorated with wood carvings depicting amiable lions guarding the homesteads and sly pixies hiding in intricately twisting tree branches. The collections at the best Russian museums include among the highly-valued treasures the wooden distaffs from Gorodets, on which the anonymous peasant artists depicted cheerful scenes of folk festivals and feasts. The inimitable skills and meticulous diligence of the Volga craftsmen were evidenced by the intricately carved boards for shaping gingerbread and for calico printing, the painted wooden matryoshka dolls (series of hollow dolls of diminishing size, one inside the other), the exquisite woven tapestries, or tambour and golden lace embroideries.

The Khokhloma painting on wooden articles is, perhaps, the one type of Nizhni Novgorod folk craft that became most popular in Russia and foreign countries. The Khokhloma handicraft became known as early as the 18th century. For instance, the geographer Evdokim Zyablovsky wrote after his journey to the Nizhni Novgorod province in 1790s that the inhabitants of the Trans-Volga area complained about the lack of arable land. He noted, though, that they had mastered many wood-working skills. He wrote, "Local woodland is another source of community welfare. The abundance of wood allows some villagers to manufacture by turning various dishes, cups, plates, and other similar wooden articles", which are then "varnished and decorated all over with golden ornaments and bright flowery patterns". The geographer concluded, "The articles are light in weight, solid, and well proportioned and the black and yellow varnishes they brew from the linseed oil are very strong and clear".

The handicraft of manufacturing wooden utensils with peculiar decorative painting imitating gilding received the appellation of Khokhloma art from one of the villages where it originally had been practiced in ancient times and which grew to become a trading post to which the local craftsmen brought their wares for sale starting from the 18th century. Customers highly valued the light and strong Khokhloma cups, dishes, and other household utensils, which were handy for the household chores and beautiful to look at. Their classic time-tested shapes, exquisite flower and plant ornaments painted in festive yet serene colors and combinations of a deep black background, the cinnabar vermilion, and the gilding glittering under a varnish layer made the wooden utensils in modest village kitchens look like precious-metal plates and dishes in noblemen's houses.

The lush "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 handicraft skills. The painting technique has been somewhat upgraded but remains essentially the same as in the ancient time. The gilding effect is produced by means of the following process. The walls of the wooden containers are first primed with clay in water, impregnated with boiled linseed oil, and dusted with aluminum powder (tin powder was used in the 18th — 19th centuries). The silvery-looking surface is painted over, the article is varnished and heated in a special oven. The varnish acquires a yellowish tint with heating and the silvery ornaments under the amber-colored varnish layer look gilded.

Nizhny Tagil Trais

In middle 18th c. on Ural there is a drawing on ferrous articles. In this period produced trays, casket and even little tables. To attach articles a packaging and to save from corrosion, them coated special is delicious. From a simple lacquering of articles step-by-step transmit to their fresco. The initiative of the serf masters was encouraged, which one constructed genuinely art products(works).
The greatest notoriety and popularity not only in Russia, but also in Europe and Asia the painted trays used. The plasticity and softness of Tagil iron allowed to do(make) trays of the diversified shape. The trays were lacquered famous crystal is delicious, which one have struck out in family of the Tagil serf artists Hudojarovy.

In Nizhny Tagil the whole dynasties of the masters on a fresco of hardwares are reshaped: Hudojarovy, Dubasnikovy. In the end 18th c. the centuries at the Tagil masters were determined the favourite plots it is colourful flower bouquets, ornamental patterns, landscapes. Representative composite reception was a location of a fresco at center of an article, and the special appeal it was attached with borders by the way of intricate ornamental patterns. An example of a fresco 18th c. is the fresco of clock manufactured in 1775.

30-40s. of the 19th c. are a period of the best prosperity of this view of art. By the end 19th c. centuries production of trays tests deep crisis. The rough events of a beginning of a 20th c. - First World War, revolution, civil war - have completed process of downgrade of painting on trays. Per 1920 years production of trays was restored, in 1930 there was an artel "Metal worker" aggregating more small-sized productions.

The large contribution in revival of a Tagil fresco has deposited in Vasilij Alekseevich Baradulin. The special value in revival the old masters saving traditional skills have played, it is A.S.Cherepanova (1895-1969), A.V.Afanas'eva (1913) etc. the Tagil trays become again widely known and are popular in USSR and abroad.
Now in Nizhny Tagil live and many remarkable masters of trays work.

The collection of a lacquer fresco of a museum of reserve widely introduces progressing this craft at different stages. On its base in Nizhny Tagil the museum of a history of a tray.

Lipetskiye Uzory

The enterprise "The Traceries of Lipetsk" established in Lipetsk, the city of the central Russia and is specialized in producing family life utensils and the popular Russian gifts and souvenirs made of soft wood widespread in Russia (linden or aspen). It continues the carving and painting traditions of the craftsmen of the region existed for the hundreds of years. Lipetsk painting is alive developing phenomenon of our modern national culture strongly connected both with the past and the present life of the people.

Assimilating Khokhloma style of handpainting and motives of Elets lace Lipetsk craftsmen developed their own style. They extended the traditional Khokhloma color palette from the using of black, red, yellow and green. The colors of Lipetsk handpainting are all the colors of joy - emerald, purple, azure. Ripe wheat ear became a symbol of well-being in Lipetsk motives of handpainting.
Folk craft assortment includes painted bowls, vases, wine-vessels, salt-cellars, kitchenware sets, carved scoops, dippers, dishes, metal samovars and trays. The enterprise "The Traceries of Lipetsk" was rewarded many times in the various Russian and international fairs.

Russian Samovars

For more than 250 years, the samovar has occupied an honoured place in Russian homes as the centrepiece of the table, around which life revolved. It remains most stable attribute of domestic coziness. Step by step a peculiar ritual of tea-drinking emerged and was adopted in every Russian homes. Drinking tea from the samovar was a way of life.
A traditional samovar consists of a large metal container with a faucet and a metal pipe running up through the center. The pipe is filled with solid fuel to heat the water in the surrounding container and the teapot placed on top. The teapot is used to brew the zavarka, a strong concentrate of tea. The tea is served by diluting this concentrate with kipyatok (boiling water) from the main container at a ratio of about 10 parts water to one part tea concentrate.

Since the mid-18th Century, the samovar (Russian teapot, literally from the Russian "sam" (self) and "varit" (to boil)), glowing hot and polished to a sparkle, was an indispensable feature of every day life.
Since its introduction to Russia from China, tea has become a cultural staple. The samovar came to Russia from Persia and the Middle East in the 18th century.

In old Russia tea quickly replaced favorite Russian drink - sbiten (mix of hot water, honey and herbs) and became a popular product. Tea was drunk all day long - you could find hot tea sellers on street corners, in trains, in offices. The samovars became the symbol of Russian hospitality and family comfort as well as the sign of prosperity. Some families held two samovars, one, more plain, for everyday use, and a dearer one - for receptions and festivities. There were homes with separate samovar-rooms whose interior was crowned by the samovar. Russian people wanted something special and began to decorate and develop the samovar into a beautiful work of art, as welcome in the Winter Palace as in a peasant's izba (hut).

The first samovar was made in Tula in 1820. Later samovar manufactures were in many regions, but Tula became known as the centre of Russian samovar production.
First samovars were made from cupronic-kel, red and green copper, pinchbeck, in some cases - from silver. Sometimes they were plated with gold, silver, but basic metal was always - brass. They were sold by weight. If samovar was heavier, it would be more expensive.

Tula samovars were spread all over Russia. At the fairs samovars were sold of different shapes: vase-shaped, pear-shaped, wine-glass-shaped and others. Samovars came in various shapes and sizes depending on their use. Most were small, around 18 inches high, and were used in homes and offices. Larger samovars could be several feet in height and diameter. Travelling samovars were equipped with handles and removable legs. Others had compartments for preparing food. The metalworkers of the Russian samovar factories provided exquisite detail in silver, bronze, and iron.
Their decoration testifies to different stylistic art trends echoing the general tendencies in the artistic tastes of different periods.

Nowdays Russians still use the samovar quite often, but mostly as an attribute of exotics and nostalgia. Samovars are a necessary feature of the Russian mode of life and consequently a part of Russian applied art. However modern technology has provided for electric samovars, which don't require the use of charcoal. As in old, these samovars are found in kitchens, offices, and even on Russian Trains. And the use of the samovar has spread from Russia to much of Eastern Europe. Every samovar with hand painting has its own style and is not only article of arts and crafts, but also a good remembering gift.

Tula Samovar

For more than 250 years, the samovar has occupied an honoured place in Russian homes as the centrepiece of the table, around which life revolved. It remains most stable attribute of domestic coziness. Step by step a peculiar ritual of tea-drinking emerged and was adopted in every Russian homes. Drinking tea from the samovar was a way of life. In the 18-th century in the Urals and Tula samovar-kitchens were invented, they were divided into three parts in two of them the meals was cooked, in the third tea. Sbitennik and samovar-kitchen were samovar prototypes.
There are different versions of the first samovars manufacture, they were produced in the Urals, Moscow, Saint-Petersburg, Tula, later in Vladimirskaja, Jaroslavskaja and Vjatskaja provinces. The first samovar factory was founded in Tula by Nasar Usitsin in 1778. The town of gunsmiths became familiar to all the world as the center of samovar manufacture due to rich ore deposits, highly qualified masters who worked metals and location of Tula in the vicinity of Moscow.

Samovar manufacture appeared to be very profitable. Handicraftsmen quickly became manufacturers, workshops samovar manufactures. In 1826 there were eight samovar factories, in 1896 seventy. Samovars were made from cupronic-kel, red and green copper, pinchbeck, in some cases from silver. Sometimes they were plated with gold, silver, but basic metal was always brass. In the course of centuries samovar shapes changed. By the end of the 19-th century their quantity reached 165. It was almost impossible to mechanize samovars manufacture completely. Tools were also unchanged. By hand assembly five-six samovars per day were produced.

The highest peak of samovar manufacture in Tula is related to the 80s of the 19-th century. Samovar was not only the feature of home comfort, the symbol of Russian hospitality, but also the sign of good circumstances. Among monuments of folk domestic art samovars occupy specific place.

They may be considered not only as domestic utensils, some of them are real works of applied arts. Each true master wanted to astonish the customers be their creative fantasy. Strict design, durability in combination with decorative qualities caused interest to samovars on the part of the people all over the world. Tula samovars were presented at the exhibitions in Russia and abroad. The manufacturers taking part at the exhibitions were constantly awarded with medals, the reprints of them were presented on the samovar walls. Tula samovars were spread all over Russia. At the fairs there were sold samovars of different shapes: vase-shaped, pear-shaped, wine-glass-shaped and others. Prices reduction in the process of manufacture caused standardization of samovar shapes. The so-called cylindrical samovars were widely spread.

In Tula coal samovars were produced, the water in them was heated by charcoal, kerosene samovars and combined variants, the water in which was heated by any type of fuel. Prices were fixed in dependence of a shape, material and dimension. Simple samovars were sold by poods. Articles of complicated shapes (presents, made to order) were sold by the piece. During all the 19-th century portable samovars were produced in Tula, as a rule, they were many-sided, cubic, right-angled.

Production technology was greatly improved for two hundred years. There are used presses, conveyor lines, casting under pressure. At "Shtamp" plant nickel-plating automatic line was introduced. Some samovars are decorated with art rolling. The plant produces samovars of different types: coal of six versions, from 1956 electrical, volume 2-3 litres, for buffets, combined and painted. Folk traditions exist, develop. Beautiful samovars made as presents are produced at this plant. Tula samovars were often awarded with medals at native and international exhibitions.

Zhostovo Trays

The village of Zhostovo in the Moscow region is one of the most respected centers of Russian folk art. It is noted for it's lacquered trays on which clear, bright bouquets of flowers dance on a shining black background displaying the cheerfulness and beauty of nature.

In the art of Zhostovo lives a rich hereditary native culture. The art of Zhostovo began in the early 19th century, when craftsmen began making various items of lacquered paper mache. They opened their first workshop in 1825, producing: boxes, cases, snuff boxes and other articles. The original trays featured troika driving, genre scenes, landscape and floral ornamentation.
Later the craftsmen turned their attention to making the trays of metal. They painted realistic garden and field flowers in bouquets and garlands. However, the practice of painting bunches of flowers became the most popular. The fascination of the art of Zhostovo lies in it's honesty and the directness of it's artistic content. To understand and appreciate the art, you don't need any special knowledge. The themes of the artist rouse the feeling of beauty in everyone looking at them. The art of Zhostovo blends folk art with realistic floral painting.

The unique and beautiful painting style which emerged at the beginning of the nineteen century, has been successfully developed in our own day. Under the brushes of skilled craftsmen the true-to life subject attains the highest quality of artistic production. The best traditions of this popular folk art are preserved by the modern artists of Zhostovo, who manage to unite the traditional methods with the improvisation and individual talent of each master.

In the art of Zhostovo there is no repitition, every tray has a unique variation of the flower theme in it's picturesque, still life composition Through the creativeness and successes of the artists, Zhostovo today demonstrates it's contemporariness. Under the brush of skilled craftsmen these domestic utensils are suitable to decorate any home. Today the art of the Zhostovo can be seen in homes and museums throughout the world.